A Beacon of Hope in a Castle of Ice: II
by NightKrawler88
Summary: Weiss will finally be introducing Ruby and her friends to her parents. On top of that the Vytal Festival is right around the corner. Will Team RWBY have enough time to prepare thanks to the training of the Legendary Huntsman: Qrow Branwen? Stay tuned for Schnee Manor, Arkos, Renora, and much much more! Speculation AU. 1 main OC. Pic done by Kumafromtaiwan (Tumblr)
1. To Schnee Manor

First off . . . . if you HAVEN'T read A Beacon of Hope in a Castle of Ice . . . then you need to leave, find that story. Review the hell out of it. Come back here. Then read this one. And Review the hell out of it xD

Guess who's back.

Back again.

Yup I'm back!

Tell your friends!

. . . Okay, enough with the Eminem reference.

Well, guys, gals, hermaphrodites, futanaris (yes, I went there) and anybody else in between. The requests to continue were pretty overwhelming for me. I've had amazing critiques and compliments that have motivated me to continue.

So, for those of you keeping a tally, it has been exactly a month (in an hour) since I finished A Beacon of Hope.

I am going back to not putting a POV at the top to see how it goes. I think letting my readers have to think and guess for a POV can be fun, but if I get too many complaints then I will revert back.

Another note. One of my favorite authors _**TheDarkenedRose**_ is reading my Fanfic on Youtube . . . if you could just search his name or my story and give him a few, a thumbs up and whatever else that would be awesome. It's really cool for him to do that, and I would HIGHLY appreciate the notion.

I would also like to thank everyone who who has messaged me during my break, reviewed the other two stories I did, and to the people who messaged me saying I am an inspiration. You guys/gals know who you are . . . it means a lot to me. It truly does.

Okay, mushy stuff over. Let's get to the point! Here is _**Chapter 1! ONWARD TO SCHNEE MANOR!**_

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_**Chapter 1 - To Schnee Manor**_

_Today is the day!_

Today is the day we are off to Schnee Manor! I'm so excited! Weiss has clearly been growing more and more anxious, but I guess since I never met her parents I'm just excited to go somewhere new. I'm sure they can't be THAT bad. Weiss has always been someone to exaggerate things.

"Rubes! Hurry up! Weiss said the airship will be here any minute!"

I look out my room window to see everyone standing with suitcases in hand. I knew Uncle Qrow would be coming with us, but I am very surprised to see that Dad decided to come as well. He's been really quiet and depressed since him and Uncle Qrow got back form the surprise job they had to take care of. Even Shun is coming with us to keep training me like she has been the past two days!

"Coming, Yang!" I shout out the window, then closing it. My suitcase is already packed, and Crescent Rose is held over my shoulder just as my Sweetheart was meant to be. My red suitcase is sitting at the door with enough clothes to last three extra days. It's super early, probably around 5:30 with the sun just barely peeking over the trees of the nearby forest. Weiss told us to get ready early since it is a long flight, despite her family having one of the fastest airship models known to Remnant. She expects us to be there by 10am. A four hour flight with nothing to do . . . I hope I can at least get a little more sleep.

I make a final check of my room, ensuring everything is how it was when I first came back for the vacation. From Schnee Manor Weiss and I will be going to the house she owns in Vale while Blake and Yang will be going back to the dormitories for the final three days of break. I take my suitcase and wheel it out of my room, closing the door behind me and make my way downstairs to go out the back door.

"It's about time you got down here, Dolt!"

Just as I enter the kitchen I hear Weiss' voice. She is standing at the back door looking through the clear screen. I smile at her mild hostility and walk out the door, closing it behind me along with the storm door that slams shut and locks itself from the inside.

"Sorry, Princess." I say, giving Weiss a quick peck on the cheek that immediately turns them red. I hear her stutter and attempt to scold me, but she's incapable of making coherent sentences. It's really out of character for her.

"Awww, Ice Queen's speechless." Yang teases while I walk towards her, Blake, Shun, Uncle Qrow and Dad with the audible sounds of Weiss' two suitcases being tugged along somewhere behind me.

"It's been awhile since I last been to Schnee Manor . . . I'm getting filled with nostalgia." I hear Uncle Qrow say to Dad, who shakes his head and chuckles.

"If only Will was just as relaxed as you, Qrow . . . I'm sure the two of us would go there much more." Dad responds, making me worry a little. To think there is someone Uncle Qrow and Dad both make a point to avoid brings me to the slight realization of the situation. Just how bad of company is Weiss' father?

"You're three minutes behind schedule. Just what is going on?" I look over my shoulder to see Weiss on her scroll, possibly scolding the tardy pilot despite the lateness being mild. I should be expecting a new side of her for a bit. After all, she is an heiress, and will most likely be sure to display her authority as such.

"I don't care if you experienced air traffic while leaving Atlas. I was told 5:45 would be the pickup time. The Shnee Dust Company owns the fastest line of transport in all of Remnant, yet a simple deadline cannot be met!? I find that very difficult to believe! If you're not here in the next forty five seconds you will wish you risked getting a simple summons from the Atlas Air Traffickers!" Weiss shouts into her scroll before hanging it up and and putting it into her pocket. She looks at all of us, realizing we all just witnessed her cold hearted outburst.

"Sorry . . . old habits die hard." Weiss defends, letting off a nervous chuckle. Within the next thirty seconds we hear, then see a large airship with the Schnee emblem almost pass us overhead. The ship is quick to slow down and stop, but manages to just barely pass the landing spot and has to backtrack in order to land for all of us to get in. Weiss' treat seemed to have hit home with the pilot in order to cause that burst of speed.

"But . . . old habits get the job done." Weiss says while walking past me. The ship enters a hover, then slowly lowers until it touches the ground. The side door cracks open from the top, lowering to make a walkway for everyone to use to climb on the airship. I wait for everyone to go, but Weiss chooses to be the very last one and beckons me onto the ship while she follows behind.

The large, grey airship soon closes behind us and starts to rise slowly from the ground while maintaining perfectly leveled, allowing us time to make our way around and find somewhere to sit.

As expected, the inside is extremely fancy. We entered through the right side of the ship, and along the left side are all booths covered by white curtains with the Schnee crest resting on each. The walls and ceiling all have a silver-ish color that goes well with the black carpet below us. I take a look at the booths, counting out four of them. Considering the size of the airship, and the fact that the walls for each take up over half of the width makes me believe that they are all large rooms that could easily rival Beacon's dorm.

"The booth on the far right has two leather recliners and two TVs along with complimentary headphones . . . That is for Mr Xiao Long, and Mr Qrow." Weiss says.

"Recliners? After our hearts aren't you?" Uncle Qrow chuckles and walks with my Dad towards the booth Weiss pointed out.

"The booth next to theirs lacks any sort of furniture aside from a bed that can be deployed from the wall. I have not had much time to speak with Shun, but I feel she will want plenty of room to workout . . . I can't think of anything else she will want to do. Plus, she could always go bother Mr Xiao Long and Mr Qrow should she get bored.

"Heh. You keep this up I may actually start to like you, Snow Angel." Shun smirks, shimmying past Yang and Blake to go to her booth. Over her right shoulder is an orange neon backpack that closes by her tugging the rope-straps in opposite directions. It's very basic and small which worries me as to just how much stuff she brought with her. Just before she goes into her booth, she lifts her left hand, waving at us without turning around then disappears behind the white curtain.

"The one next to Shun's is for Blake and Yang. I took the liberty of having TV bluetooth earphones installed. It will allow Yang to watch whatever she desires while leaving plenty of silence for Blake to read." Weiss explains.

"Aw! I always knew you cared, Weiss!" Yang runs over, wrapping her arms around Weiss' waist and lifts my girlfriend off the ground in a back cracking hug that makes me shiver.

"Ugh! You Brute! Let me go this instant!" Weiss screams, but Yang keeps the hug held firmly for a few more seconds before letting Weiss down and skipping off to the booth with Blake, who already started walking.

Weiss grumbles under her breath, talking about how Yang will end up killing her one of these days with her method of showing affection. Weiss takes the lead to the last booth which I follow, noting it is slightly different from the rest. Weiss brushes aside the curtain, allowing me to enter. I immediately notice it is extremely spacious. While it is not the size of our room in Beacon, it is easily 3/4's that size. Directly ahead of me is a large window that I immediately run over to look out of, making out several landmarks from the forest near the house thanks to the overhead view. Even being able to spot the creek I first discovered my semblance at.

_I never did get to take Weiss there . . . We've been so busy._

The room itself has wood textured walls and a black carpet, making it feel like a bedroom in a house almost. The roof is textured silver like the walls outside, but has some sort of weird, tiny device that I can't really tell what it is. I'm sure Weiss will go into detail. There is nothing in the room to make note of aside from a large love seat sitting in the right corner furthest from the door. I was at least hoping for a TV.

The difference I noticed in the room as compared to the others is the fact that the curtain was slightly smaller, and behind the curtain was a sliding door that Weiss takes the liberty of closing after she walks in.

"For us, this is the 'VIP' room so to speak. The television here is a high definition projector while the other rooms have plasma screen. Oh, there's a touchpad near the window . . . just slide your finger from top to bottom and it will tint the window as dark as you wish. It helps if you want to sleep or watch a movie. All the booths have soundproof walls, meaning any loud explosions won't interrupt the person next door, plus . . ."

At Weiss' pause I grow curious and follow her with my eyes when she walks to the wall opposite Blake and Yang's booth. She pushes two small buttons on the wall, and seconds later two beds slide out from the wall. One right above the other to act as bunkbeds, although with them against the wall it reminds me more of the type of bunkbeds you see in prison movies . . . but these are much more stylish! Aside from the wooden texture underneath the mattresses, the mattresses themselves are both covered with white bedsheets with matching pillows that blend in so well with the mattresses that I was just barely able to notice them.

"Wow, you went all out to impress, Weiss." I say, walking over to the two beds. I take the chance to kick off my combat boots and nudge them underneath before I jump to the top bunk.

"I did?" Weiss looks up at me with surprise written all over her face. "I made sure to have them send the small airship . . . Last thing I wanted was to intimidate anyone."

"Wait . . . this is the SMALL ONE?" I ask, eyes wide and lips parted in utter shock.

"Well of course it is. The larger one can fit up to 500 people with plenty of room to spare. My family uses it for parties while traveling through the kingdoms." Weiss states matter-of-factly.

"Wow . . . That's-" I pause when a loud knock is heard from the door.

I feel a little awkward to be laying on the bed considering someone I don't know will be answering it. I mean, I know it's perfectly normal and all but the concept will eat away at me until my insecurities prevail victorious. To avoid the hassle I hop down and sit on the lower of the two beds while Weiss walks to the slidable door, unlocks it, then pushes it open and begins speaking before she even sees who it is.

"Who has the audacity to-" Weiss pauses.

"Forgive the interruption, M'Lady."

I sit in awe as a tall, slender man stands at the door, towering over Weiss. He has a very sweet face, yet his facial expression also appears to be naturally devious. His hair is a shade of black that is not too dark, yet not faded either, breeding youth yet maturity all in one. His hair varies in length all around his head, but the longest strand coming from the right side of his head where his hair manages to go down past his cheek.

His hairstyle in general is messy, yet strangely organized as well. His hair manages to cover a majority of his cheeks along the sides, but does not cover the intimidating gaze of his piercing red eyes. The one part of his hair that catches me off guard is a long locke that trails right down the center of his face, yet parts to his left after coming in contact with the bridge of his nose, but does not block his eyes either. In fact, it adds a more mysterious look to him.

To compliment his dark hair is a white dress shirt worn with a formal black vest over the dress shirt, and a black tailcoat over the rest of his outfit. I take note of his cuffs which are complete with a golden emblem of the Schnee crest, marking the family he works for. If I had to assume what he was based on clothing, there is no doubt he is a butler. However, there is an odd air to him that sends shivers down my spine, making me confused as to whether I fear him, or if his presence simply makes me nervous since it is my first time seeing him.

"What are you doing here!? Shouldn't you be at the Manor!?" Weiss shouts and wraps her arms around the taller man's neck. He is roughly 6 feet tall, resulting in him having to kneel to allow Weiss to gather an effective hug which he returns by wrapping his arms around her waist.

"I wouldn't want your flight home to have mediocre service." He speaks in a relaxed tone that also sends a shiver down my spine. Without realizing it my fingers dig into the mattress, clenching firmly as I sit patiently for this shivering in my body to pass.

"That's very kind of you. Oh, allow me to introduce you to-"

"Ah, is this the one you told me about in your last letter?" He cuts in. Something that Weiss would normally chew someone out for, but she appears to be completely fine with it.

"Yes, this is her." Weiss says, letting go of him and stepping aside while the tall form stands upright.

_W-What is it about him that is making me like this? I can feel my heartbeat in my throat! He's not scary at all. So why-_

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Ruby Rose."

My eyes shoot ahead of me and towards the ceiling to meet his red eyes. He smiles down at me, then drops down to one knee as he did for Weiss earlier.

"R-Ruby is just fine." I answer, my body's shaking not stopping in the slightest. Why do I feel so nervous!? "Um . . . Weiss told you about me?"

"In incredible detail. I have never in all my years read a letter from her that revolved around a single person. For once she did not speak of her studies . . . which is quite impressive." He explains, earning a quick 'hey!' from Weiss who is still standing at the door.

"R-really?" I begin to blush, "Weiss is a great friend. I'm glad me an- . . . her and I were put on the same team." I correct myself, trying to work on sounding more proper since I will be meeting her family soon.

"I believe you mean girlfriend." He corrects me in return and gives a smile to me that I find strangely devious. "She spoke of you in very high regards. Should you need anything, just call."

"T-thanks, but . . . I don't know your name." I giggle nervously.

"Sebastian . . . and I am simply one hell of a butler." He grins, his words sending powerful quakes down my spine.

_Is everyone in Schnee Manor this scary!?_

"Well, I'll be on my way to prepare the food and drinks. I hope you enjoy the flight." He says while standing up and leaves the room while I still can barely move a muscle. As he exits, Weiss closes the sliding door, which apparently locks on its own and can only be opened from the inside. I suppose that is one of the perks of the 'VIP room'.

"Ruby?" I hear Weiss whisper. I turn my head and see she is sitting right next to me with a look of worry on her face, "Are you okay?"

"Y-yeah . . . I-I guess I'm just a little cold." I lie, immediately averting my gaze. I can't lie while looking Weiss in the eye . . . but I can't tell her that a person I just met gives me the creeps. It's super rude, and for all I know he could be the kindest person in the world.

"I see. Well, first, let me do this." Weiss leans away from me to the side of the bed, reaching into a small pouch I never quite recognized that is hanging along the wooden frame. I watch closely as she pulls out a small remote and clicks it. A small beep can be heard, and when I look ahead of me the entire wall is made into a giant TV screen, making me realize that the small device on the ceiling is the projector she mentioned.

"Woah." I comment while Weiss works on getting a random movie on.

"This is similar to the projector Blake has . . . except this one is the most recent model." Weiss explains.

I continue to stare in awe at the TV screen ahead of me, but that doesn't stop Weiss from reaching around me and pulling my head down onto her lap. I shift around a bit, laying on my back and picking up my feet to place them on the bed. When I am finally comfortable I look up at her to see she is just finishing taking off her beautiful, white bolero and places it over me to act as covers.

"I just raised the heat . . . Try to manage until it comes up, okay?" She smiles at me and runs her hand through my hair.

"Wait, when did you do that?"

"Universal remote, Ruby."

"University what?" Weiss sighs at my question and just shakes her head.

"U-ni-ver-sal. I can control the projector, TV channels, and heat with this." She waves the small remote above me.

"Wow . . . with all this stuff it must be hard settling for Beacon." I say which earns a shrug from my girlfriend.

"Not at all. It is actually very refreshing to be able to do things on my own. My family abuses their wealth in every regard. I have only done so in name . . . although prior to going to Beacon I was certainly much worse." Weiss admits while absent mindedly petting my head. It's such an odd, calming feeling I get when she pets me. It feels really really relaxing, especially when she brushes my hair away from my face.

"Well, that doesn't matter now, does it?" I smile, tilting my head to catch Weiss' hand while she is petting me to give her palm a quick kiss.

"I suppose not- hey!" She smiles, poking my forehead with two fingers. The shivering in my body from earlier is gone, thankfully. "Dunce. Take a nap. I'll wake you up when we the food gets here, alright?"

"Ooo, can I get cookies?" I ask, crossing my toes in hopes of a yes.

"You will get whatever is served, Ruby Rose." Weiss shakes her head, poking me in the forehead a second time. We begin to watch the movie Weiss put on. A romance movie that's a sequel to the one we watched in my house one day.

Weiss expects me to sleep when watching a movie we are both very interested in, well she has another thing coming.

Not even five minutes later I end up falling asleep . . . I guess staying up late while Weiss went to bed early wasn't one of the smartest decisions of mine.

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So, I bet you guys forgot that old old easter egg during the Prom Arc, eh? One Hell of a Butler . . . chapter 28 if you need to go back and get a refresher.

Also . . . why is it that when I look back at my first story . . . the semi-smut between Blake and Yang is the most viewed chapter? (16).

. . . Pervs . . . I love you guys though :P

As always, Review =D Let me know what you want to see :3 and I will be cooking up an Easter Egg pretty soon! So be ready!

Also . . . I need a better title . . . open to suggestions Q.Q HELP ME OUT GUYS. My first title isn't exactly something to follow up on.


	2. Bumbleby's Progress

_Okay, another slightly lengthy author's note, so bare with me guys! and please read it xD._

_So, I have developed a bit of a system to avoid going long periods of times without having content for you. That method being to have a weekly upload schedule BUT, uploading should I be X chapters ahead. X being a number between 2 and 5. That makes it so I can stay at the very least two weeks ahead, which is awesome. _

_Now, even though I am uploading this on a Sunday night, my standard posting days will be Thursdays. That means my next chapter will be out at the LATEST April 30th: Next week Thursday. You guys should know me well . . . I get my content together fast, so don't think on that too hard._

_Now! For the important stuff! Well, important to me, hopefully valued by you guys =D._

_I've been streaming a lot recently. With finals done and my vacation coming up I am able to sit back and relax. I've been playing Bloodborne a lot, and have made 3 character builds based on RWBY characters (I'm addicted . . . help me). It'd be cool if you guys could follow or something. During those times I'd happily talk about anything pertaining to RWBY (my fic included) and I think it would be a really fun experience for all of us. _

_Tomorrow (Monday) I should be streaming at about noon Eastern Standard Time. Hopefully I'll see a bunch of you there. I could be streaming for several hours :D So feel free to stop by whenever. Twitch Name is Jorge10466 =D Hard to miss xD  
_

_Okay, now for the other important stuff (for you guys). Here is Chapter 2! Enjoy!_

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_**Chapter 2 - Bumbleby's Progress**_

"Come on, Blake! Please?"

"Not a chance."

"Oh come on! I'm not going to do anything mean!"

"It's a chance I am not willing to take."

"But you love me!"

"Love is a strong word, Yang."

I watch as Yang sighs, then looks at me with a brief, pleading look before accepting her loss and sitting on a 7-foot ice blue bean bag chair with a less than satisfied expression. Yang doesn't appear to be happy with the situation at all, and I suppose she shouldn't be. My words were harsh and on the fly. Quite frankly, I wouldn't have taken part in that shower with Yang if my feelings for her weren't strong enough for me to be capable of using the word 'love'.

_Alright, Blake . . . fix it._

I kick off my shoes without making so much as a small shuffle when I tug my feet out of each. I look at Yang who is just beginning to slouch and find comfort in the large, cloud-like furniture. My steps towards her are naturally silent and undetectable. It is not until I seat myself on Yang's lap that she opens her eyes to see me smiling.

"But, that's the only word I can think of that says how much I care for you." I whisper, then press my lips to her forehead.

"So . . . does that mean?" She looks up at me with pleading eyes, causing me to roll mine and sigh.

"Yes, Yang . . . you can." I cave in, then seat myself next to her and shuffle along the bean bag until I get my head on her lap while facing her stomach. I curl my legs up close to my body, trying to get myself into the most comfortable position I can which isn't that hard, surprisingly. It is very comfortable regardless of where I go.

I look up at Yang before giving a small nod and closing my eyes. Not so soon after, I feel my bow being carefully tugged off, my ears being treated to little caressing scratches near the base that feels far too relaxing.

The moment we stepped into the booth, Yang was asking if I will take off my bow and let her play with my ears. Naturally, considering what she has proved she can do to me made me instantly deny her request, at least until I had what could be considered as either a moment of stupidity, or a moment of trust for my Blonde Brawler.

_She's not doing anything daring . . . that's good._

I let out a happy sigh, thankful for Yang being true to her word thus far and avoiding any of the real 'pleasure spots' my cat ears possess. She sticks to running her fingers through my hair, or tracing lines near the base of my feline accessory..

"See? Not so bad, right?" Yang whispers in one of her softest tones, but regardless of how soft, she managed to ruin my trip into dreamland.

"Yang . . . I'm trying to sleep." I groan, which erupts in a few giggles from her. I guess Yang is trying to prove to me that I can let my guard down a little more with her. Although letting my guard down is something I rarely do. Even now I am listening to what is going on through the walls which are sound proof; to the human ear at least.

"Sorry, Kittycat. Oh, do you know why the door behind our curtain doesn't have a lock or anything?"

"Probably because of emergencies or something. Anyone should knock before they enter, anyway. Now shush!" I shout, looking up at her with un-amused eyes.

"Nah, you don't need sleep." She teases, then gives me a grin that begins to irritate me, but with her gentle finger tickling around my scalp it is hard to stay mad for long.

"Yang . . . let me sleep." I say in a much calmer voice which makes her chuckle. She knows very well that she is having a very soothing effect on me.

"Not until I get a 'Let me take a catnap' kiss." Yang counters.

"Just one." I sigh, fighting my body to let me move to my hands and knees.

"One's all I need." Yang whispers, patiently waiting until I get a proper footing and seat myself on her lap.

"Arrogant." I comment, laying my arms lazily on her shoulders while I close my eyes and lean in to give her the kiss she won't let me sleep without.

"You love my arrogance." She comments with an enthusiasm only Ruby can rival.

As my eyes close fully, Yang's hand brushes over my left cheek while the other touches the small of my back. She flaunts her strength so effortlessly in ways that make me shiver and purr. One of those methods being how she holds me so tightly to her body. I let out a sharp gasp from the tightened embrace, her chest brushing along my abdomen while I lean down to search for her lips. It is not long before I feel her soft lips caress mine. The sweet, loving start to a gentle kiss changes almost immediately.

Yang rolls to her side, pulling me down onto the bean bag before I get a chance to fight for my balance. The arm on my back tightens, and her hold on me is reinforced when she swings her left leg over my hips, locking me against her in three different places. I try to push myself away from her, wanting to give her a thorough scolding for the sudden change. Not because it is unpleasant and unwelcome, but because with a kiss like this I will never be able to sleep!

Her other hand slides from my cheek through my raven hair. Searching for my ear and building up worry in my mind that she will create a repeat of the first time I shared a milk-filled kiss with her. Yang's fingers find their target, but I am pleasantly surprised to feel her revert to the earlier treatment near the base of my ears.

While Yang's sudden gesture was aggressive, her lips are brushing against mine with tender care. We share gentle pecks, pressing our lips together while tilting our heads for better angles, then pulling back until they come apart with little pops and other unique noises. Yang soon takes the liberty of parting her lips a little more than normal on our next connection. I am quick to respond with parting my own. This time our kiss isn't a fight for dominance. Instead our slickened muscles meet at a perfect midpoint and begin their dance of love and affection.

Being this close to Yang, I can feel everything happening to her. The increase in her heartbeat thanks to her chest pounding against my own. The adorable, heavy pants she continues to let off while she struggles to keep calm. Even her hand on my back can be felt fighting the urge to slide lower and take a firm hold of what she refers to as 'The Bella Booty'. Instead, she shortens our kiss and pulls back, causing me to open my eyes to see a smile on her sweet face, and a glisten in her lilac eyes.

"I think I'll sleep with you, Kittycat." Yang says, hugging me closer to her. I let out a happy sigh, laying my cheek against her soft chest and find it best to take Yang's offer and share a peaceful rest with my girlfriend.

* * *

"And down goes Goodman. What a heck of a match! A left hook countered with a deadly right cross! Both of these boxer's signature punches being tested in a final stand! There is no better way to end it!"

I bat my eyes, looking ahead to see Yang's stomach in sight. I keep blinking, trying to get my vision to clear before I begin to move. My body feels so weak and relaxed which makes it very difficult to get moving, otherwise I would already be looking about to see what that voice from earlier was.

"Oops. Did I put the TV too loud, Blakey?" I lift my head slowly, seeing Yang looking down at me with a smile on her lips.

"How long was I sleeping?" I ask before turning my head to yawn into Yang's thigh which in turn makes me realize that she managed to slip away from me while I was sleeping and even change my position without waking me.

_Was I really that tired?_

"Well, I slept for about fifteen minutes. So, I'll say it's been roughly fortyfive minutes for you." Yang says after doing some guess work. "Yeah, I couldn't sleep . . . not easy when you're in my arms. I have no idea how I am capable of sleeping when you're near."

"Because you're actually tired . . . and not fighting the urge to grab my ass?" I counter while I sit up, switching from laying my head on her lap to sitting next to her with my head on her shoulder.

"Hey! Cut me some slack here!" Yang tries to defend her flirtatious nature, "The Bella Booty is real."

"Yang . . . it's a butt . . . Nothing is special about a butt. Especially mine. I think it's rather small." I admit, but Yang is having none of it.

"Not small at all. As a matter of fact, it's just the right size to grab." She grins, making me shake my head.

"Pervert." I mumble under my breath.

"Your pervert." she counters instantly.

"Although it's sweeter when you're cuddling me and not dragging me to the bed." I respond, getting a sad look from Yang.

"We only did it for real one time . . ." She sighs.

"But, last time I checked you made me cum three times."

"Ugh! Am I really that bad!?"

"You're not. I still want to see you get your stomach tighter." I switch the topic, and immediately Yang raises an eyebrow at me.

"I've been working out with Uncle Qrow. By the time we go back to Beacon you'll notice the difference." Yang brags, and that immediately peaks my interest.

"Oh? Show me."

"Nope . . . I'll make you miss 'em." She says, then stands up with a triumphant smile. At the same time she stands there is a loud knock at the door. Since Yang is already standing up she walks over to answer it, having to lift her head to see the tall figure standing in front of her.

"Miss Xiao Long, Miss Belladonna, I have a small plate specially requested for the two of you by Miss Schnee." His voice is calm, and oddly melodic when he speaks.

"Oh, I'm Xiao Long . . .call me Yang, though. Only people that use my last name are teachers, doctors, and my dad when I'm in trouble." Yang steps aside, letting the tall man, who I suppose is a butler based on his outfit enter the room and drop off two covered plates of food on a rollable cart.

"Very well, Yang. Oh . . ." He pauses, looking at me with a bit of a surprised expression.

"I'm Belladonna . . . call me Blake, please." I say, but the introduction being my way of pointing out that I realize he is staring at me.

"My apologies . . . But . . . you are aware we are headed to Schnee Manor, correct?" he asks. The concern in his voice makes me realize that his question has no ill intent.

"I am very aware . . . I actually have a bow I wear over these." I respond, wiggling my ears at the same time.

"I see. I'll be present during your stay. I consider Miss Schnee more than an employer. I've known her far before she learned to utilize Myrtenaster. I've taken time to help her hone her fencing skills myself during her downtime." He flaunts, although the way he says it makes it seem more like idle chit chat.

"Wait . . . You're Sebastian!?" Yang shouts from the door, her jaw dropped in awe.

"Hm . . . She never talks much about home." Sebastian quirks a brow, looking over his shoulder at Yang.

"Nope. Prom night at Beacon was the first time she talked about anything in her past to me. If I remember . . . she said you were 'One hell of a butler'. Or something like that. Also her best friend pretty much." As Yang speaks he carefully places forks and knives on the plates he unlidded without me noticing. When he is done he walks to the door , crossing his right arm over his body and gives a polite bow before disappearing behind the curtain.

"He seems nice." I say to Yang, who is closing the door to the booth.

"Very . . . Ooo! Blakey! Someone got you salmon!"

"Yang, if you are toying with my love for fish . . . You will be sleeping by yourself for the rest of the vacation!" After my warning, I sniff the air and stand up from the bean bag. Thankfully, Yang was telling the truth and a perfectly cooked salmon sits on the center of a plate with slices of lemon along the side. For Yang there is the classic 'Sloppy Joe', something I can't picture someone like Weiss eating, but thinking about how she views Yang makes the dish completely logical from that standpoint.

"These look good." Yang says, taking her plate from the cart and sitting herself on the floor with her legs crossed and her plate sitting on her folded legs to act as a table.

"Very. Weiss doesn't seem to be holding back in making our stay enjoyable." I answer, taking my plate from the cart and sitting next to Yang on the floor. I could always pull out the bed from the wall and use that as a seat, but I may as well sit next to Yang. For all I know, her and I may not even get the luxury of sharing a room in Schnee Manor.

As expected, Yang dives right in on her burger, large amounts of ground beef falling on the plate as she stuffs herself with the messy sandwich. She is done eating in a record time, then resorts to using a fork to eat up the leftovers that landed on her plate. I am amazed at how quick she can eat. I have been enjoying my fish in a similar fashion, yet I am only a third of the way through my meal.

"Hey, mind if I go see how Hito's doing?" Yang asks me, standing herself up and placing her plate on the cart.

"You don't need to ask me, Yang. I trust you." I roll my eyes at how overly cautious she manages to be. She still has the tendency to want to prove her loyalty, but she has no need to. I honestly do not mind her flirting, or even sharing a kiss with a select few. It's who she is, and I love Yang for who she is. Perhaps I am stupid for not minding the thought of my girlfriend kissing Shun, or anyone else has feelings for, although based on what she told me, there is only one other person she claims to be capable of kissing aside from Shun and myself.

"I know . . . Just my way of letting you know where to find me." She attempts to play off her cautious nature with a logical excuse, but I know her better than that.

"Alright, I'll probably take a nap when I finish this. Don't workout too hard, now." I say to her, but my tone takes a playful turn, making Yang think I meant something else when I said 'workout'.

"I'm not going to do that, Blake!"

"You're much too easy to bother. Way too easy, honestly." I chuckle, but Yang's face is filled with anything but amusement as she leaves the room, but leaves the sliding door open, which I don't mind.

I smile, thinking of how quick Yang is to defend herself anytime I tease her about her dating habits or love of flirting. Yang enjoys teasing me with my faunus nature, and now I simply have a way of teasing her, although mine is more on her personality.

_I know you wouldn't cheat on me, Yang. I suppose you are just like him in a way . . . You proved that you can change . . . although your change was for me._

_I always thought Adam and I were Beauty and the Beast, but I think that title is better for us . . . _

_The question is . . . which one of us is Beauty? And which one of us is the Beast?_

* * *

_Okay, pop quiz. First person to message me the correct answer will get a prize!_

_There was something I constantly referenced in the first few chapters of A Beacon of Hope in a Castle of Ice. I referenced it here as well . . . _

_Whoever tells me what it was will get a prize. _

_Goodnight . . . and Good Luck_


	3. A Challenge

Well, here is chapter 3, and surprisingly nobody has gotten the answer to the pop quiz. So, by default the winner will someone who has been coming to my streams since my announcement of my streaming in chapter 2.

Well, I guess I should let you guys know what it was. I had people ask if the answer waas the Black Butler reference.

That is wrong, only because I said it is something I had reference during my first few chapters of my previous story. The Black Butler reference appeared in chapter 25 only.

Others said catnap, and I only made a catnap joke in chapters 4 and 6.

Now, the correct answer is something that has put fear in several at the start of my story.

A constant warning of something so deadly that it could hospitalize anybody.

The one attack that left Ruby out cold for several days.

Yes.

'Deadly Right Cross' was the correct answer. xD

* * *

_**Chapter 3 - A Challenge**_

"Thirty-four, thirty-five, thirty-six . . ."

I quietly pant out each number, knowing I will lose count if I don't. It's been roughly an hour since boarding the airship, and since then it has been a scheduled workout for me:

4 sets of 50 pushups

4 sets of 50 crunches

4 sets of 50 seconds of mountain climbers, and

4 sets of 50 roundhouse kicks . . . per leg.

I am just finishing with the final few kicks when I hear a voice just outside my curtain call out.

"Excuse me, your lunch is here."

_Lunch?_

I take a moment to wipe the sweat from my forehead with the back of my left hand. It's been a tiresome hour so far, and my legs don't want me to move it seems. I look down to check my body. My orange sports bra is still snug in its place. I _was_ wearing a black tanktop when I came in, but that was dumped in the corner with my backpack since I knew I would be breaking a sweat. I check lower to see my black, orange lined shorts are also secured, keeping everything that they're suppose to keep hidden as such.

I shrug my shoulders a few times, letting them loosen up, as well as twisting my hips to relieve the built up tension throughout my core thanks to the workout, and soon after I am brushing the curtain aside to find a surprising sight.

I look on as a butler stands with a food cart in front of him with a single covered plate sitting in the center. The surprise of all this being that he is actually taller than me. Mister Qrow and Mister Tai both rival my height. Both being an inch, at most two inches taller than me, while this man appears to be over six feet tall.

I stand at 5'10, only two inches taller than Sunflower, but it is still odd to find someone taller than me, though it rarely happens. I've been one to grow fast during my high school days; since then my growth has slowed dramatically, but I estimate another year before I stop. Thinking about it now, a man being taller than me is not too odd, but I will be very surprised when a gal stands next to me and I have to look up to make eye contact.

"Hm . . . another Faunus?"

_I am not about to deal with a faunus-hating __asshat __on __this_ _airship! This is the last relaxed state of mind I will get before stepping into that hell hole!_

"Yeah. What of it!?" I growl, my fists clenched and thighs tensed, desperately waiting for an answer that will tempt me to knock his teeth out.

"Hm . . . you are a lot more hostile about your faunus heritage than Ms. Belladonna." He begins, giving a warm yet somehow crooked smile, at least in my eyes, before he continues, "It is odd to find a faunus that will willingly travel to Schnee Manor. That is my reason for the surprise. I have nothing against the faunus of the world."

I take an extra few seconds to scan his eyes and body language for any sights of him lying. I don't see any hate or disgust that any anti-faunus person would have plastered across their face from simply gazing in my direction. I fight my body's natural desire to extend my left hand, and instead extend my right as Mister Qrow has taught me to do when requesting a handshake. The sudden, unprovoked gesture earns an odd look, and I realize I should explain my reasoning.

"If you're truly not against me being here, then there should be no problem shaking my hand." I explain, my orange and yellow multi-colored irises lock onto him to watch his facial expressions in excruciating detail.

"Very well." He shrugs, going the step further to remove his glove before shaking my hand. While he does so he gently tugs me aside so he can push the cart into the room with the use of his left hand, and finally releases mine when he enter.

_Well, at least they have one decent person there . . . aside from the Snow Heiress, I guess. Wait, why am I getting food?_

"I didn't ask for booth service or anything." I comment.

"Miss Schnee personally prepared and sent a list of what to have served for each passenger. I assume she ordered the same thing for you as Ms Belladonna since you are both feline faunus of some kind."

_Fair enough, I guess . . . Could have asked me what I like._

"Cheetah Faunus . . . and Blake's a Cat Faunus." I clarify, pointing to the spotted design on my ears.

"Well, your ears are very becoming. Now, if you'll excuse me." He places a fork and knife at the sides of the covered dish, then lifts the lid off of the plate and leaves without another word.

"What's his rush?" I ask no one in particular as I watch the curtain sway back into place.

I decide not to dwell on the quick exit and turn my head to the uncovered plate. Upon recognizing the well prepared fish dish with sliced lemon sitting on the side, my eyes widen. Just by the sight and size of the perfectly de-scaled and steamed fish, I could tell it was at a value I could only imagine I'd be able to possess all at one time.

I sigh, that single thought eating away thanks to the person I taught myself to be. I never take handouts, I refuse to accept pity, and I surely don't want to be looked down upon by a Schnee.

I take the cover for the meal and cover it up, leaving it just as it was presented to me. I walk out of the booth, shoving the heavy curtain out of my way with my right arm and turning to my right to walk to the next booth. I wait a moment, listening at the door and hearing the familiar tone of Yang. I know that Mister Qrow and Mister Tai were on the other side of my booth, and with this one belonging to Yang and most likely Blake, that leaves the furthest booth to belong to Weiss and Ruby.

I proceed to the next booth and brush the curtain away to see the large slidable door sitting in front of me. I lift my left hand, extending my middle finger to knock on the door with my second knuckle. After a bit of shuffling I hear footsteps approach and I am met by the sight of little Ruby Rose.

"Hey Red . . . can I talk to Weiss?" I ask her. As always, Ruby is quick to nod her head. She closes the door, calling out to Weiss and telling her who is present. I am surprised to see just how quick Weiss comes to the door and steps outside with me, concern draped all over her face.

"Something wrong? You're not allergic to anything are you?"

"Nothing's wrong . . . Well, to an extent." I take a deep breath, thinking to myself on how I will explain myself. Last thing I need is to say something wrong when the destination is the last place a faunus wants to be.

"I thought I made all the proper accommodations . . . Did Sebastian do something wrong?" She raises an eyebrow at me, then stares at the ground in thought.

"Nobody did a thing wrong. It's something I'm a bit 'picky' about." I admit.

"Well don't leave me in suspense." She answers me with a bit of a snotty tone. Something that normally would bother me, but while training Ruby I learned it's her natural way of speaking.

"Not too good with accepting things. By that I mean items. The fish . . . absolutely mouthwatering, but I believe in earning whatever I get." As I explain Weiss folds her arms and gives me her most questioning look.

"So . . . you won't eat because you feel you need to earn a meal? . . . when you are going to the the home of someone as unpleasant as my father? . . . and this is coming from his own daughter, mind you." She raises her voice slightly to emphasize her point, and I get what she is saying perfectly, but I still don't feel too fond of it.

"It's not how I am. I'll feel bad, like I owe you something . . . and I HATE being in debt." I sigh. There is only one person I owe so much to, but with all he's done for me I will not be done repaying him until my forties at the very least.

"If you feel the need to stick with the 'give-take' system then I have the solution: During your stay you and I will spar. I feel the need to redeem myself after the embarrassment I was put through a few days ago."

_Does she mean what happened in my backyard?_

"What? The quick match?" I ask.

"Precisely. _Quick_ match. I refuse to accept losing in such a horrid fashion. If you wish to 'pay me back' for the meal," she raises her hands, using her fingers to create air-quotations, "then be prepared to come at me with your all. I'll make the proper preparations for the match."

I sigh, knowing whether I continue to argue or not that I will end up sparring against her anyway. I take a few seconds of silence, trying to think of a way to talk her out of the match, or out of the meal, but I find little success winning either of those arguments. Yang and Ruby have both told me that little miss Snow Angel is the queen of debates. I don't plan on challenging that fact.

"If that's what you want . . . I'll make sure to take off my weights this time." I shrug my shoulders.

". . . Weights?"

"Technically they're just gravity enhancers . . . they only manage to pull down to simulate weights, but it helps for the most part." I gesture down to my ankles to show off the two anklets I am wearing. "They're both set to pull my legs down with three times the normal gravity. The day you three came by I had it set to 3.5 and only had it on one leg."

"Are you telling me that . . ."

"I was moving slow because of the weight." I cut her off. Hopefully that discourages her a little bit from facing me in a real spar.

". . . Two days."

"Huh?"

"We're sparring in exactly 48 hours!" She shouts, staring at me with reddening cheeks.

"Listen here! I ain't sparrin' unless I want to, got it!?" I growl, leaning forward to lower my head to her level while closing the distance between our stares.

"I told you! I am not going to accept losing to someone who even gave me a severe handicap! Now go and eat . . . I don't want a single excuse for not being 100%!" As she raises her voice she leans closer, fists clenched at her side, and stomping her foot on the ground as emphasis.

"You don't have a chance at beating me, kid. You don't even know my semblance. I know your fighting style, weapon, semblance, and its compatibility with dust. Do you think I would have just kidnapped Ruby without doing research on who I would be dealing with afterwards?" I bare my teeth, staring into the crystal blue eyes.

"Then why are you so scared of fighting me!? Don't tell me you're scared of the Schnee name too."

_This cocky little-_

"You think I'm scared of a Schnee!? The last thing to ever frighten me is a name! Especially the name 'Schnee'. If you think you're capable enough for me to go all out, fine! You better bring your all. Otherwise, Ruby's last few days will be wasted having to watch over YOU!" I growl, standing upright once more and turning to return to my booth.

"Challenge accepted. You better start eating then! I don't want a single excuse when I beat you!"

"We're leagues apart, Snow Angel. Watch your arrogance." I stop, looking over my shoulder at her with a focused stare.

"Why the hell do you even call me Snow Angel!? My name is Weiss!"

"Because . . . I hate the snow!" I snarl once more before going into my booth, taking a deep breath, "Yet there are times you have your nice moments . . . to certain people at least."

I take another deep breath, trying to calm myself down. To think my first argument on this trip would be with the Schnee I feel I can get along with. I try my best to not dwell on what just happened and decide to take my mind off it by eating. I walk over to the cart and unlid the plate of fish, then use the back of my index finger to touch it and check if it is still warm. Surprisingly, these fancy lids are more than just for show; it still feels nice and hot.

I smile, grabbing my fork in my left hand and the plate in my right. I gently press my foot to the cart and push it, wincing when it goes a bit farther than I wanted and hits one of the walls.

"Calm down, Shun . . . You've never let a Schnee bother you before." I preach, hoping my own words will calm me down.

I sit myself on the floor with my legs crossed, using them as a table to put the plate on while I begin cutting off a piece of the tasty aquatic animal by using the side of my fork. I smile at how easily I am able to cut into it, as well as pierce it with the four prongs of my eating utensil. As I lift it to my lips I get a brief whiff of just how delicious the smell is, and the taste rivals it without fail.

I take my time to eat and savor it, finishing after roughly ten minutes, and just in time for someone to call my name from outside. The sweet, high-pitched voice is an easy tell of who it is.

"What's up, Ruby?" I call out, the small scythe wielder stepping in with a smile on her face.

"I heard you and Weiss arguing . . . I hope you know she wasn't trying to be mean."

"Seemed like that was her goal, and it worked." I answer, doing my best to keep any ill-tones out of my words.

"Actually . . . she had two different goals . . . and she got both of them" She explains, making me tilt my head and look at the girl in confusion. The look on my face making her nod her head and continue, "She wanted a rematch . . . and for you to eat. She came back smiling and told me what happened . . . I just don't want you to think she's a jerk."

_I told myself I wouldn't fall for her damn tricks . . . and that's exactly what happened . . . fuck._

"Roger. Anyway, I'm going to take a nap. I'm going to need all my rest and tolerance to deal with her family."

"I don't think they can be that bad . . . Maybe they'll end up being really nice."

Ruby is always the optimistic one, just like her sister. However, there are things that I simply cannot share her optimism about. The Schnee family is one of them.

"Look, Ruby. I'm not going to bad mouth your girlfriend's family. If you want to know what the SDC has done in the past . . . go talk to Blake. Now, I need to go to sleep. When we get there I expect you to do your daily routine . . . I already took care of mine." I stand up, placing my plate on the cart and moving it to the far side of the room while I find a button on the wall that triggers a bed draped with white sheets to slip out.

"Aw! Why do I even have to do all of those? They're killer!"

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." I state flatly while I climb onto the bed and lie down on my stomach. I make use of my arms, folding them underneath my head to use as makeshift pillows.

"Can I just get today off? Please?" I look up to see Ruby is still standing there. I figured she'd leave once she saw I was getting comfy.

"No. You ask me that again and I will get Mr Qrow." I threaten, lowering my head onto my arms and close my eyes, tuning in to the sounds of Ruby's pouts and stomps out of the room, leaving me to my nap, but not before contemplating how I will be handling the spar in 48 hours I was tricked into accepting.

* * *

Well, Weiss' fighting record in my fanfic so far is 0-2.

Start placing bets now if she will win . . .

or if Shun will give Weiss a well needed wakeup call that she needs to train more!


	4. Wrong TAIm, Wrong Place

Hey guys, here is chapter four! A mild drama is introduced here that could have an affect on the later chapters, but I'll leave what that could be up to your creative minds. Nothing new is really explored, but as I said the plot slightly expands now and opens of a few more possibility as will the next two chapters.

So, as always, enjoy and please leave a review! Seriously D: I am not getting a lot of feedback. It's making me nervous!

* * *

_**Chapter 4 - Wrong TAIm, Wrong Place.  
**_

It's always wonderful to get a decent amount of time to relax. For once I don't need to argue with Tai for a recliner, and the two of us are now able to sit comfortably at the same time while watching any sports, or fights there are on the television. Our lunch came a while back, but was quickly done in by the two of us, making for relaxing in the recliners much more satisfying thanks to the gift of a full stomach to accompany.

"You think Will has changed in the slightest after these few years?" To my right I hear Tai's voice. I turn my head to look at him, chuckling at the sight of him abusing how far the black leather chair could lean back, although I was no different.

"I highly doubt it. That was the reason I wanted to come along. He won't be as ill to my nieces with me around." I explain, "although I don't know why you decided to tag along. Aside from that one question you wish to ask him about, there is no reason for you to come. It's something I could have taken care of, or you could have done via scroll."

I watch Tai as he sits up in the recliner, pulling the furniture into its upright position. One of the few times he will ever move from a comfortable position is when he is about to say something serious, however I will never get another chance to relax in a recliner as comfortable as this, so I choose not to mimic his change in posture, and instead remain laid back.

"You have a bad habit of focusing only on your nieces. The two I am worried about the most are Weiss and Shun.." He looks at me out the corner of his left eye, then takes a deep breath before going on to explain. "I know Shun can hold her tongue . . . she is actually a very polite girl, but she is very defensive of others more than herself."

"True, but Blake will be wearing her bow . . . it is unlikely for Will to bother Blake that much." I answer, but Tai only shakes his head and scoffs, signaling me that I missed his point.

"Yang will step up should Will bad mouth Ruby and Weiss . . . Shun will then step up when the aggro shifts to Yang. You will be too busy trying to calm down Yang to stop Shun . . . that much I can guarantee." He looks at me with a focused stare. His point was completely valid, but he only answered half of the question.

"And why worry about Weiss?"

"I respect her character. It's not worry, mainly. I just want to be there to let her know she is a part of this family . . . plus I may have a training regimen that may benefit her more than yours."

My eye raises at Tai's statement. I can't remember the last time he went out of his way to train someone that wasn't family. Bypassing his statement that Weiss _IS_ family now, it is still odd to find him contemplating teaching someone that I am already devoting time towards.

"Taking my students now? That's cold . . . "

"I'm simply doing what's more beneficial for her, Qrow."

"And there you go acting all _Tai_ and mighty." I smirk, releasing a brief chuckle from my pun.

"Qrow . . . I'm sure Weiss could make better puns than you. Stop it." He groans in disgust before shaking his head.

"Oh come on, I've been using the 'Tai and Mighty' pun for a while now. You should be used to it."

"There are some things you just can't get used to. Your terrible sense of humor is among them."

"Why thank you, good sir." I answer with exaggerated sarcasm.

"You're welcome." Tai answers flatly and turns his attention to the TV just in time to see something that peaks his interest.

"Qrow, take a look at this. A rerun from The Pit." He says, feeling at his sides for the remote and raising the volume.

I turn my eyes to the projection on the large wall. A smile coats my face when I see why it caught Tai's interest so quickly.

"Today we have one hell of a match, folks!" The announcer begins with radiating enthusiasm. The challenger for today will be a Vale resident. I'm sure most of the drinkers in here know her well! She's a kickboxer by trade If you mistake her for her twin you'll get a face full of boot. Please welcome one half of the Malachite twins! Melanie!"

As the announcer finishes the introduction the camera pans over to a girl stepping into the large colosseum-like fighting area. Her entrance into the arena being a large tunnel that could fit a giant nevermore if needed. As she exits the shadows and steps into clear view I make note of her white outfit, as well as the girl in red that stays behind and turns around once the girl gets a certain distance away. I assume that to be her twin, although I could not get a clear look. I've heard of the challenger before, and considering I know that after this match she has been out of commission for quite a while means that her opponent could only be one person.

"Aaaaaand the reigning . . . undefeated brawler! She stands at 5'8, and has an amazing record thus far of 8 wins and no . . . that is right folks! . . . NO losses. She is one of the youngest successful fighters The Pit has ever seen. She has the pure destructive force to single handedly rival an Atlesian platoon! The ability to withstand massive amounts of punishment! And most importantly, she is only two fights away from tying the record for longest undefeated record in The Pit which stands at 10-0. Please welcome: Yang . . . Xiao . . . LONG."

The hectic amounts of cheers and applauds as my arrogant, smirking niece makes her appearance is nothing shy of overwhelming. This is Yang's most recent fight in the pit, but she refused to share any details about it which is very unlike her. Yang lives for the chance to boast about these kinds of things, yet she always changed the topic when she'd call home from Beacon and I'd bring up the subject.

"She didn't lose this fight, did she?" I ask, looking over to Tai who shakes his head.

"No. I heard she won and in a method that is pretty uncommon for her. Lee told me." Tai answers with a chuckle.

The two of us turn our attention to the match. patiently waiting for all the formalities of introducing both fighters to be over and done with. After an introduction of all the sponsors of The Pit, along with the sponsors of Melanie Malachite a commercial is played with the promise of the match starting upon return.

"Why would she not be happy to talk about a win?" I draw back the conversation we were having prior to looking at the TV.

"Knowing Yang . . . she probably had a relationship with the girl she was fighting." Tai lets out an exaggerated sigh. "I pray Ruby's phase is far more manageable than Yang's."

Tai speaking out his hopes makes me chuckle. Mainly because of how much control Weiss has displayed over Ruby. Neither Tai or myself have been able to keep Ruby calmed down when she was younger, and with her increase in age came an increase in her hyperness and willingness to be active and all over the place. I doubt being at Beacon alone has calmed her down. In fact, I would expect her to be twice as active considering she is taking such a huge step towards doing what she is most passionate about.

"Well, I think that Bellafauna girl is really nice." I say with a smile and a nod.

"BellaDONNA, Qrow. For Remnant's sake can't you learn the girl's name? You don't seem to remember anybody's name. It's really upsetting considering you are a teacher." Tai groans.

"Hey, I can remember names! Who doesn't know the name Rice Schnee?"

". . . _Weiss_"

"Same difference."

"Damnit Qrow!"

"Weiss, Rice. Belladonna, Bellafauna. Po-tay-toe, po-tah-toe." I shrug, quickly reverting my eyes to the TV when the last commercial ends and the echoing screams of the live crowd of The Pit take over the surround-sound audio system.

Sure enough the match starts seconds after the commercials end. The arena has the same dimensions as the Beacon Academy arena. On my one and only trip over there after losing track of Oobleck I ended up walking passed that area and became instantly impressed with the arena there.

However, there are still notable differences between the two. For one, The Pit changes their look every match. For this match the ground is made of a marble-type of material. Based on the boots that Yang wears it may be slightly difficult for her to move, but with the long, thin heels that the Malachite girl wears, I doubt she has the advantage on such a smooth surface.

"And BEGIN!"

The referee shouts, proving his aura skill immediately when a dim light surrounds him, although the fact that the light of his aura is dim doesn't prove how strong it is. If anything it proves his ability to limit it to not blind the fighters.

As soon as the match starts Tai and myself inch up in our seats. Yang and the Malachite girl both close the gap without hesitation, proving some sort of familiarity between the two. The strict kicking style of Malachite proves to be difficult for Yang to cope with. I can't see her eyes clearly, but based on her body language she keeps switching her gaze back to her opponent's hands. It's a habit Brandon got her into, and Yang's devotion to her boxing style makes her extremely stubborn to break the habit, despite her having tried plenty of times to. It's like trying to touch a hot stove after being severely burned by it . . . every fiber of your being is against it.

"She's really struggling." Tai comments, folding his arms while watching on.

"She's not struggling . . . She's getting agitated with her own habit." I clarify, shaking my head as Yang continues to block the oncoming barrage of kicks, but each kick getting far too close to connecting for her to build a comfortable defense.

"Think she explodes?"

"Possibly. I think she'll-"

"AH!"

Before I can finish my sentence a loud scream comes from the television. After another strong kick and Yang blocking it, the Malachite twin falls to the floor and remains completely idle while the referee runs over. The camera pans over to Yang for a moment, showing her eyes wide open and hands over her mouth. My suspicion that the two of them knew each other is confirmed even further with her reaction. Yang rarely shows any remorse for her opponents. At least not so openly. She is someone that will teach you to swim by pushing you into a pool. In this case she will beat you unconscious and check on you after the match is called and she is out of the arena.

"I . . . I've never seen Xiao Long win in this manner." The commentator's voice takes over the audio. A zoomed in and slowed down version of the final kick is shown on the screen with the commentator speaking through it.

"Look at that . . . right . . . THERE!" The screen pauses, showing the right roundhouse kick being blocked by Yang's right hand, but then her left hand coming around to grab the foot, leading to a harsh twist that tweaks the ankle in a clear-as-day joint dislocation. "That . . . that's shiver-inducing."

"No wonder she didn't talk about it." Tai whispers, lowering the volume on the TV and sighing.

"She hates winning like that. If it isn't a knockout than it's not a win." I follow up on Tai's comment, continuing to watch the screen.

While the crowd goes silent and Yang stands there in complete disbelief, the second twin makes her appearance. Her red outfit almost identical to that of her sister. Tai turns up the volume once more while the two of us keep our eyes glued to the screen.

"Mel! Mel is it broken?" the words of the worried twin are just barely audible, possibly through a microphone on the referee. The chatter becomes muffled again, and soon enough the twin in red stands up and walks over to Yang. The part to follow is unbelievable.

Without any subtlety a wide arced slap is sent to Yang which is instantly caught by my blonde niece.

_Well . . . looks like they'll be in the same hospital room._ I ponder to myself, waiting for the inevitable punch that should follow but surprisingly, it is never delivered.

Instead, Yang throws the arm down and begins to silently walk away with a bright golden aura surrounding her person. The aura broadcasting her anger towards the situation that just unfolded. As she disappears into the tunnel to leave the arena the situation with the 'Mel' Malachite is slowly diffused and she is helped out of the arena as carefully as possible.

"Very out of character for Yang." Tai reaches out for the remote and turns off the TV. Him and I have the same idea and slouch into our recliners.

"That is . . . unless she has a thing for one . . . or both of them."

"Qrow . . . stop."

"Just sayin'." I shrug, then change the topic to a more touchy subject. "Anyway . . . why are you _really_ coming to Schnee Manor, Taiyang?"

"It's just as I said Qr-"

"You really think you saw Raven, eh?" I ask, letting him know to stop the charade.

"I _KNOW_ it was her. It's impossible for it not to be." Tai snaps, looking at me with that firm, lilac stare that has the same intensity as Yang when her semblance triggers.

"Tai . . . If you continue to pursue this it will only hurt you, and hurt those around you. What are you going to tell Yang if she catches wind of this? 'Oh, your mother who's been gone since you were young appeared at Mountain Glenn but didn't say a peep.' Is that your plan?" I take a deep breath, standing up from my chair a sudden rage taking me over. "Raven . . . HAS NOT been around. Do you expect her to just randomly come back and everything to be okay!? It's NOT!"

My words don't seem to sit well at all with Tai who also stands up when I am done speaking. That stare of his burns through me. I haven't seen such an anger in his eyes for a while. It's quite relieving to see he still has that fire in him, but it is being wasted in believing my sister is coming back. I miss her, but if she was doing this against her will then she would have left a sign. We were a team, and even the smallest thing like a twisted paperclip would have informed us of what is going on.

"I know who I saw, Qrow. Now I prefer you drop the subject. The only person I am speaking of this matter with is Will." Tai's words are slow and well-chosen. He desperately wants the subject dropped, but it is not something I can deal with. He's focusing too much on Raven, and not on Yang who has calmed down from obsessing over her mother just a year or two ago. I begin walking towards the curtain to leave the booth, needing some fresh air.

"Just remember, Tai . . . and this is coming from her own BROTHER . . . Summer was more of a mother to Yang than Raven was. Yang already lost two mothers . . . don't make her have to go through that a third time." I look over my shoulder at Tai. The fierce stance he held earlier switched to a defeated slouch. I continue walking to the curtain, hearing a loud impact just outside.

I brush the large curtain aside, just in time to hear a male's voice.

"Miss Yang, are you alright?"

I turn my head to the right. Seeing Yang having clashed with a tall, slender figure. The same man that brought us our lunch earlier.

"Y-Yang!"

I call out to her, but she doesn't turn her head. Instead she pushes passed the tall man who watches her dart off into a booth. A loud slamming of the sliding door follows and I begin walking over to check on her, but an extended arm stops me.

"I think Miss Belladonna may be the best choice to calm your daughter." He whispers while making eye contact with me. I take note of his relaxed, yet perfect posture, along with the red-eyed stare he gives me.

"She's my niece . . . and the last person in this world I want to see in pain."


	5. Don't Stop, Just Slow Down

_**Okay, guys. So here is chapter 5. Everything is having a slow buildup which should be expected of me. I was going to upload in another half hour, but two if my viewers on twitch (and readers) kept bugging me to upload when I was enjoying a nice, high paced game of Dying Light.  
**_

**_Heavenorhell6 . . . Verticallemon13 I'm calling both of you out. =.=  
_**

**_Anyway. This is just to do a little more character development, show off Yang in a few different lights, and ultimately help her character shine a little more, as well as two others. Do tell me what you guys think . . . seriously D: Just cause this is a new story doesn't mean you guys can slack and not give me reviews! Especially for you people who want that second Ladybug Smut from my other story 'Ninjas of Love: Ladybug Edition' -.0 I have a good amount of it done . . . I just want to make it stronger . . . so I've been raging and redoing it . . . It's not lost in developmental hell like Half Life 3, don't worry.  
_**

**_Anyway! Read on guys and gals and futas and herms :D  
_**

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_**Chapter 5 - Don't Stop, Just Slow Down**_

There's a heavy slam on the door to my booth. Loud enough to wake me from my relaxed dreamland, and I bet I know exactly who it is.

"Ruby if you try to talk yourself out of training then I will make it equivalent to what me and your sis are capable of doing!"

I lift my head up after shouting to see that it is not Ruby who came in, but Sunflower. The first thing I notice is the blood-red of her normally lilac eyes. It's not often I've seen her eyes this color, and most times that color has for the most part faded when she looks my way, but not this time.

I know very well I haven't done anything wrong, so the next thing I can assume is she needs to vent and came here. Although I would expect her to go to her girlfriend if anything. That leaves me under the assumption that she is pissed at Blake for one reason or another, and I guess I am the only person she can come talk to about it.

"What's got you pissed, Sunflower? Do I need to remind Belladonna that she still has competition?" My question earns a momentary smile from her, but she quickly reverts back to that angered/saddened look of hers.

"It's not Blake, Hito . . . Actually I meant to go to Blake but I went into the first curtain I saw."

_Sure know how to make me feel special, huh?_

"Well, I'm no Belladonna . . . but I have better hearing than her." I pass her a smile while wiggling my ears. I sit up on the bed and pat the left side of me. Yang nods her head and sits down. I look at her with my left eye, my right remaining hidden by my autumn bangs which is how it always is for special reasons I will not name at this moment.

"My mom is still nearby" Yang looks at me with those red eyes of hers.

"Not to be a skeptic, Sunflower but didn't your mom take off long ago? What are the odds of her still being anywhere near Patch?" I ask. I'm not trying to shatter her expectations, but make her realize what she is saying. She used to talk to me all the time about Summer Rose, Ruby's mother, but I didn't know that Summer wasn't her own mom until after the lady passed away. At least, that is how she explained it to me. Sunflower told me everything, and I feel bad for keeping secrets from her. Several secrets to be a little more precise.

"Dad and Uncle were arguing about it . . . Dad is certain it was her . . . I'm not mad because they didn't tell me. I'm mad because she is still around . . . and can't bother to come tell me why she left all those years ago."

"Sunflower, what happens if it wasn't her? You can't just assume the best . . . or the worst, depending how you look at the situation." As I speak I look at her red glare and cautiously activate my semblance, but increasing the aura in my eye to raise it to what I call 'level 2'.

The last time I used my semblance was on Ruby in the boxing gym, and that was only to test if I was still capable of using it since I never have reason to. Actually, the only person I ever used my semblance on was Yang.

. . . . She's the reason I discovered it after all . . . but that's a story for another day.

I smile as the calming effect of my semblance begins taking place and Yang's eyes soon fade to their lilac color. Afterwards she takes a deep breath and shrugs her shoulders.

"I guess I don't . . . but it's the only lead I have so far. You know I've been searching for her." Yang's stare is as determined as ever. She's always been one to fight tooth and nail for the things she wants . . . it's one of the reasons I fell for her.

"Look, how about we do our sparring routine? I already did my workout for the day, so this is the next best thing for me, and you always think better when you're throwing punches." I suggest and stand up. I know she won't refuse, no matter what kind of mood she is in she never refuses this.

"Sure . . . am I striking or defending this time?" Yang asks and follows me towards the middle of the room. I pause, deciding to go back and send the bed back into the wall to increase our space, then go back to where Yang is.

"Defending . . . Remember what I taught you."

"It's not easy to watch feet! I hate fighting kickboxers and Muay Thai fighters!" She protests, but it only succeeds in making me laugh.

"You seem to do fine when you spar with me."

"That's because you have a rhythm . . . I use the same rhythm since we train together so much." She counters, and she is correct but there is more to it.

Yang and Mister Qrow are the only people that have seen my right eye. I am gifted with having 20/2 vision. Through my right eye I can pretty much see anything at incredible detail. if someone were to throw a baseball by me then I could see the rotation just as it passes by and tell them what kind of pitch it was. However, my right eye is also the eye I use for 'stage 3 and 4' of my semblance.

"Alright . . . I'll only use my left leg . . . I'll start off slow." I whisper, planting my right foot in the ground and lifting my left leg until my knee is leveled with my torso. Yang enters her boxing stance at the same time and prepares herself.

I start off by lifting my knee up towards her head, but still keeping my leg curled. As my knee lines up I snap out my foot which is instantly blocked, then retracted. To follow up I lower my knee to line up with her midsection and throw another side-kick that is guarded by a tightly curled bicep. My delivery is not slow by any means, but Yang is capable of telling where my kicks will go when I line them up, so all that is needed to be slowed down is my adjustment.

For a third kick I follow the pattern and aim right for her outer thigh. She quickly lifts her leg up to kick-check and I stop the kick before it can be delivered, smiling at the small habit she is developing.

"Finally you do a kick-check. Just don't do it against me . . . I'll end up breaking your leg, Sunflower." I tease, although I am telling the truth. My legs have gone through several micro-fractures, allowing them to heal and become stronger than before each and every time. It's a conditioning method used in many martial arts, and with time it proves its worth.

"Alright, Sunflower. Round two." I grin, starting off by doing the same three kicks, but then I had two new ones: A push kick to her stomach that is blocked by her crossing her arms, and an overhead axe kick that she blocks with crossed arms again.

As usual her reflexes are good, but she is blocking me on instinct and by building a pattern in her head with each hit. I am as straightforward a fighter as she is, but I think now is the time I show her how beneficial deception is.

I start off with the same kick: a snap-roundhouse to her head, but on the followup to her midsection I make a point of faking the kick and continuing down for the kick on her outer thigh. As expected she flinched on the fake, more so thanks to the kick not coming in as expected and breaking the rhythm she wants to develop. The kick to her leg also goes unguarded with a very late kick-check attempt. To finish the combo I go for a kick to her midsection again, but make it another fake and go for a kick to her shoulder, this time faking the shoulder kick as well and going back to her midsection to finish the combination.

"What's with all the fakes!?" She growls when I lower my left leg. She's always a little hot head when I catch her off guard.

"You were cheating." I shrug, paying no mind to her attitude.

"Cheating?"

"You can't _feel out_ my attacks, Sunflower. You need to _read and react_. Not everyone is going to be straightforward. I don't know why, but I feel like Belladonna is someone who must use a lot of feints." I say, but the whole judgement being on her personality. For the most part you can tell how a person fights by how they act, and she has an odd aura to her . . . no, not the literal kind of aura.

"Just by her disposition you can assume that . . . but she is a person that has three backup plans in one attack. Should have seen me and her go at it this one time. She threw a hook, blocked. Then an elbow from the same hand, blocked. Then her weapon was hooked to her arm and was swinging towards my head, I had to duck it . . . and when I ducked she hit me with this crazy knee of hers . . . hurts just thinking about it." I look at the smile on Yang's face as she describes in detail the whole seen. It's a smile that shows without a doubt that Blake Belladonna holds her heart.

"I could still kick her ass in a fight." I butt in, and getting a few daggers glared at me from Yang.

"You two aren't fighting again." She says in a firm tone, the beautiful lilac stare of hers replaced by shade of red that can be compared to her sister's name.

"You need to calm down, Sunflower." I sigh, lifting my right hand up to the long, gothic style bangs that cover the right side of my face. I take the moment to expose my right eye by curling my bangs over my right ear. "Now . . . I think you need to take a nap while I find out what's going on with your mom."

After I am done speaking I can see Yang's gaze weaken. The strong, upright stance she maintains now shifting to a weak slouch forward, and finally her body's equilibrium breaks with that slight slouch, causing the brawler to fall forward and into my arms.

While catching the relatively heavy form I look down at her golden mane and sigh. It's always been like this between her and I for as long as I can remember. Me having to do the cleaning up, or to find out what is going on after she hothead's her way into a situation, or into a misjudgement.

With the brief state of nostalgia I haul Yang over my left shoulder with little worry of her waking up. She should be out cold until we land at Schnee Manor, and considering that I am about to question Mr Tai and Mr Qrow, then it will be better that Yang is not capable of getting involved. I turn towards the door, walking past the curtain with Yang held in place by both of my arms wrapped around her legs to stop her from slipping over my shoulder and landing face-first on the ground.

I right left as I leave, going one door over and pushing passed the curtain to see Blake sitting on the bed reading some book that has what looks like a Ninja mask on the front. She is quick to take the book and hide it behind her back and see that I have Yang held over my shoulder rather casually.

"Um . . . should I even ask?" She questions while I walk over and lay Yang down next to her.

"Sunflower being Sunflower . . . although she wanted to come to you to talk. I'm guessing she's told you about her mom?"

"Only that she barely knows her and still wants to find her. Not much after that." She explains.

"Well . . . if that's the case I'll let Sunflower do the explaining for you then. When she wakes up tell her I am taking care of things." I twist my neck, sighing at the sound of several resounding cracks.

"Do you think she wants you to deal with her problems for her?" Blake asks, the question catches me completely off guard.

"What do you mean? She won't be able to get the answers she wants. I'm probably the person who has the biggest chance of getting it done." I explain while quirking an eyebrow.

"Getting more information may just make Yang want to find her more . . . 'obsessing over something isn't healthy'," she says, sitting next to Yang and combing her fingers through the golden lockes, "Someone who has her own demons to obsess about taught me that."

I take a deep breath and nod my head, debating on what to do. On one side there is me getting the answers Yang wants, but as Blake said it may not be the best thing considering Yang's future. On the other side I can leave things be, and that will take a toll on Yang for the present, but she may forget about it later on.

"I'll leave the decisions up to you." I whispers and make my way to the door at the same time.

"Don't leave anything up to me. I want what's best for Yang . . . and I am sure you do as well. Nothing says we need to agree at the start, but we can talk and try convincing the other without entering an argument."

I look over my shoulder as she speaks to me. Her explanation is completely sound, but makes me laugh once I swallow everything she said.

"Y'know . . . you're Sunflower's exact opposite. If she wins an argument she won't care of she was right or wrong, and won't care about explanations either. To think two complete opposites come together like you two is surprising. Hell, I can say the same for Red and Snow Angel." I pause, a thought coming into my head as I peek over to Blake again.

"Believe me, it wasn't love at first sight for me . . . I turned her down too many times to remember, I bet she can tell you the exact amount." I can't help but chuckle as I see a smile appearing over Blake's face. "That reminds me, can you get my bag from under the bed."

"What am I a butler?" I sigh, walking over to the bed to comply with the request. I make a small hop, letting my feet get off the ground so I can turn my body horizontally and catch myself on all 4's.

"HOLY FUCK!" I jump, rolling away from underneath the bed after the surprising sight I came in contact with. Blake, who is still sitting on the bed begins to laugh and hide her face in her palm while an exact copy of her crawls out from underneath and disappears.

"Been working on my semblance a little . . . Think I'm doing okay?" She asks with a smug look on her face.

"Don't get arrogant . . .I swear that trick of yours is not catching me again . . . Do that in front of Yang and watch her start making 'Copycat' puns." I say and jump to my feet to leave.

". . . The fact that you know what puns she will make . . . you must share her humor."

"Nope . . . I mean, I could have made jokes about you two being completely opposite and start calling you Yin . . ."

". . . I don't get it."

"Exactly." I scoff and make my way out of the room to head back to my own booth.

I push past the curtain to their room and turn left towards mine. As I enter I note the tray of food and the cart it was on are both gone, and my bed is completely re-done with no wrinkles and even a new pillowcase.

_The hell? I was barely gone a minute_.

I shrug my shoulders and go back to lay on my bed, completely ignoring the fact that my curtain is still open. Instead I succumb to my lazy desires and find it better to take another nap. Hopefully the next time I open my eyes will be on our arrival instead of from another interruption.

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_**I think that was pretty good, right? :D RIGHT!?  
**_

_**Don't make me start refusing to upload until I get 10 reviews per chapter -,- I'll do it . . . you guys know I'm an asshole . . . I'll be as whiney as Weiss!**_


	6. Arrival

Surprise!

_**Well, this was supposed to be up a long time ago. I fell asleep a few minutes before midnight and when I woke up the chapter was a mess because I fell asleep with my hands on the keyboard. Not good at all.  
**_

_**Why the early and late update? Well, I figured I'd just update early since today (5-20) is actually my birthday. :D Woohoo!**_

_**Anyway, here is chapter 6. Hope you enjoy~!**_

_**Also, I find it humorous that the moment I say I will stop uploading is when I get 12 reviews the same day the chapter comes out xD You guys make me pull the dirtiest tricks to get some feedback :P Not cool.**_

_**Anyway~! Enjoy! and please review xD**_

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_**Chapter 6 - Arrival**_

"Ms Schnee, we're five minutes away from touching down in Atlas. The limo is ready for pickup as requested."

I nod my head, looking out the window across the room. I keep the scroll held to my ear while I answer in a near whisper.

"Very good. Call the driver and tell him he is dismissed with full pay."

"Um . . ."

"He is not in any trouble. Simply tell him he is dismissed, and he will be compensated as if he did the full job. His only concern is a ride home, and with his paycheck he could afford it several times over for the rest of the month." I sigh, hanging up my scroll and placing it down at my side.

I look down at Ruby, completely exhausted from her daily workout appointed by Shun. The pouty monochrome-haired girl came into the room with displeasure written all over her face since she could not talk her way out of her workout, but there are some things that she needs to accept. Doing her daily workout is just one of them if she wants to be a successful Huntress.

"Ruby . . ." I reach down and gently nudge the petite form resting her head on my lap.

"Unnn . . . five more minutes, Yang." The groggy girl calls out to me with a groan.

"Ruby Rose, I will not settle for being compared to your sister. We're about to land, wake up." I call out to her again, this time slightly louder than before, but again I am partially ignored.

"Dolt . . . Fine I'll wait until we land." I whisper and begin to trail my fingers through her white tips. Instead, I decide to open up my contact window and make Blake, as well as Yang the recipients of my next message.

_**Me: **_Touching down in 5 minutes. Someone come help me with Ruby.

I sigh when I add the last sentence. I know very well I may not be able to wake Ruby up, so the next best thing is to have either Blake or Yang help me. I have a feeling Yang will be the one to come by considering she may know the struggle I am going through with having to wake up her sister.

I have been staying relatively quiet with Ruby throughout the trip, primarily from anxiousness. My father knows little of my life in Beacon, and the biggest problem I am expecting is my relationship to Ruby. He will find every little thing wrong with her in his eyes and try to convince me that I can do better with the several suitors he has attempted to set me up with but I will make sure he knows that I will have none of that. Ruby is the one I want to be with, and if he can not accept that then he will have a rather rude awakening for him in the form of a homosexual daughter.

"Hellooo~~~~~" I hear the cheery voice of Yang at the door accompanied by a loud banging. I sigh, sliding myself away from Ruby and gently placing her head on the bed while I walk over to answer the door with Yang still knocking and almost hitting me in the face when I open it.

"I'm sure you're smart enough to realize that if I am asking for help with your sister then it is most likely because she is sleeping. There aren't any other times I have needed assistance with her." I scold the loud, obnoxious teammate of mine.

"Please, if Ruby is asleep and you nudging her won't do the job then she could sleep through a Nevermore's mating call." Yang says very nonchalantly as she walks into the room and carefully lifts up Ruby like an infant. I stand at the doorway in shock as Yang walks right out the room with Ruby in her arms, leaving me to grasp Ruby's little red suitcase and stack it on top of one of mine. On top of the other suitcase is of course her Crescent Rose. As I leave the room I see Blake is already outside and has Yang's suitcase as well as her own in tow, meaning i can't ask her for help with the luggage overload I have become a victim of.

"Oh boy, my niece leaving you with all her stuff? Shame on her." I jump at the voice coming from behind me.

"It's not a problem" I lie, turning around to look at Mr Qrow standing there with a smile.

"No need to act like it's not a pain. I can see the struggling in your arms." He responds and takes all 3 suitcases from me. I stand there in shock as he stacks one on top of the other and then puts Crescent Rose at the very top of the 3 suitcases and holds them without any problem on his right hand.

"Mr Qrow, I can carry my own." There is a mild panic in my voice, but it is more form having him carrying my things. I don't want him to think ill of me in any manner.

"Relax. I've been in that booth for a few hours . . . I need at least a little bit of exercise. Besides, this is pretty easy for me . . . As a Hunter you need to learn to balance your **F.A.C.E.S**." He tells me with a smile.

"Faces, Mr Qrow? I've never heard that terminology." My face still radiates confusion, but he is not the least bit surprised to my lack of knowledge.

"Finesse, Agility, Control, Endurance, and Strength. You require all five to be a successful Hunter or Huntress, regardless of how little you have of one. Yang has incredible strength, but her control is minimal. Blake shows an amazing amount of agility and control. You show amazing finesse and control as well. However, Ruby may very well be the one that has all five things balanced out. Now, just because she is balanced doesn't make her better . . . It makes her a 'Jack of all Trades' and the downside to that is she may not shine in one particular category. She may end up being average in all aspects."

"A balance between Finesse, Agility, Control, Endurance, and Strength . . . " I repeat, trying to memorize the five terms as well as the acronym that associates the five of them.

"Maybe 'balance' is not the right word," He goes on to explain, "You see, what happens is you do not need massive amounts of strength . . . but you DO need it. There will be a situation where it will pay off, and being prepared for every situation is something a Hunter must do. I would say having each in a good 'ratio' may be better. Yang for the moment is far beyond having any sort of balance . . . she's a walking explosion in every sense of the word." Mr Qrow chuckles, looking across the airship to Yang who is still carrying Ruby and is joined by Blake lugging around baggage for two.

"Where is Mr Xiao Long?" I ask after realizing he is missing from the group.

"Oh, he went to use the bathroom before we get off. I had a small talk with Shun by the way . . . You two are due to have a match in two days it seems?"

"I want a rematch. That is all." I explain, not wanting to dwell too long on the topic.

"Well, I hate to tell you this but that match isn't happening." He sighs, looking at me with a serious gaze I have learned to be slightly less fearful of after spending a decent amount of time with him.

"And why not?"

"Ice . . . there are people in this world we may never be able to rival. Styles that will counter our own regardless of how weak the opponent is. Then there are people we can not beat at this current time . . . Shun is someone you can not beat in a straight fight. I've spend more time training her and giving her assignments than I have with Yang and Ruby combined. She is not capable of taking a solid hit if there is aura backing it up . . . but her style of fighting . . . her uncensored style of fighting makes it so she doesn't risk getting hit. If you truly want a chance at facing her, then I can arrange something that may be far more interesting . . . although you may find it much harder."

_So he is willing to let me fight her under harder circumstances? Mr Qrow you are so confusing! and quite possibly a hypocrite!_

"And what would that be?"

"A free for all . . . Schnee Manor . . . that backyard is over 300 acres of forest, am I correct?"

"436.87 To be exact, but correct." I answer, but realize a tad too late on how smartass-ish that answer was.

"Well, Ruby, Blake, Yang, Shun, and yourself . . . A small backpack of supplies and we'll make it a 'deathmatch' so to speak. Anytime someone is incapacitated and unable to continue fighting, then the victor will fire a flare . . . either Tai or myself will go and retrieve the loser. Plus, I am sure your father has a million security cameras scattered . . . so it will not be a problem to watch the events unfold."

"Mr Qrow . . . I want to face Shun, not my entire team. I shouldn't have to face any of my teammates-"

"And what if one of them goes missing? What if they get manipulated? Controlled like a puppet? What happens if you have to face one of them in the tournament?" He begins his barrage of questions, making me realize I may need to go through with this for the combat experience. "Just because they are your teammates today does not mean they can not be your enemy in the next decade . . . I know these are also my nieces I am talking about, but it is the truth. Plus . . . it will give me something to look on and enjoy."

I nod my head, thinking that having the five of us scattered throughout a forest would prove to be a unique challenge.

"How long will this be?" I ask out of curiosity.

"As long as it takes . . . I'll make sure to think of a good prize that your father, Tai, and I all agree on." Mr Qrow looks at me with a confident smirk as if the competition is already set in stone.

After my approval to it all Mr Qrow disappears somewhere within the airship. One second I am looking over to Yang and Blake, and when I look back at him he is nowhere to be found. Literally seconds after our talk the airship makes contact with the ground and the large door lowers to provide a walkway out of the ship towards the large, white stretch limo with the Schnee crest embedded in each of the dark-tinted windows that just barely meet the legal requirements by the very border of the spectrum.

"The trunk will open in just a moment. Sebastian should get it in a-" Just as I am about to finish my sentence I see the trunk open, but of course I never saw Sebastian make his way to the limo, although that doesn't surprise me. He is very quick and rarely seen.

"Right on cue." Blake smiles and walks over to the trunk to place her and Yang's suitcases inside. At the same time I see Mr Qrow and Mr Xiao Long leave the airship and make their way to the limo. Mr Qrow of course taking the time to place the 3 suitcases into the trunk before closing it. I am a little surprised to see he did not put Crescent Rose in the trunk, and instead decides to carry it into the limo with him.

"This thing is roomy!" I hear Yang call out from the inside.

"It is, I suppose. Give Ruby a decent spot to lay down." I call out to her from outside the car. I wait until everyone is inside, making myself the last to enter and shut the door behind me. Mr Qrow and Blake have already taken to searching the little side compartments behind the black leather seats and settling for a bottle of water sitting in a mixture of ice and water. Mr Qrow on the other hand begins fishing through the small glass bottles of wine, but ultimately settles for the least expensive thing I requested be placed there: A simple brand of beer I saw sitting in the fridge one day, 'Patch's Perfect Brew'.

I am seated near the door. Yang is to my left with Ruby laying between us. Directly ahead of me is Mr Xiao Long and Mr Qrow, and across from them are Blake and Shun. After it is clear that we are all seated and comfortable, the engine to the limo starts and we are soon on our way towards Schnee Manor . . . a place I regret to call home.

"So, you five . . . Weiss and I had a discussion, and I think it may be a good experience for you all." Mr Qrow begins, although Ruby is still fast asleep.

"Um, should I wake up Ruby, Uncle?" Yang interrupts, gesturing to the team leader drooling on Yang's brown shorts.

"I'll wake her . . . watch this." Uncle Qrow chuckles, sliding away from everyone before carefully opening up Crescent Rose. The loud sound of the mechanisms acting in harmony to unfold the gigantic scythe fill the small space of the limo, and Ruby is soon jumping from Yang's lap with a near startle.

"Who's touching my Sweetheart!?" She shouts, scanning the space until she sees Uncle Qrow folding up the scythe with a loud chuckle.

"Nice of you to wake up, now listen . . . The five of you will be having a nice sparring session . . . in the backyard of Schnee Manor . . . in two days." Mr Qrow grins.

"Um . . . big deal?" Yang says, but in a questioning tone.

"It's over 400 acres of forest . . . and the session will last until there is only one left standing. Meaning this could very well take more than one day to deal with . . . and will involve some camping. I have a prize in mind for almost each of you, but each prize will be discussed among myself, Tai and Mr Schnee. Ruby, I will be tinkering with your ammo for Crescent Rose."

"But Uncle Qrow! I already adjust the shells that Yang gets me to make them more aerodynamic! What else can you do to them?" Ruby groans at the thought of having her precious weapon messed around with, even if it is by her uncle.

"Well, I could replace the shells with a hollower material as well as replace the gunpowder . . . I doubt you will want to be shooting to kill considering these are all your friends and teammates here, right? I'll just be making you some special rounds for the situation . . . I'll even teach you how to make them yourself."

"Really!? Awesome!" Ruby does a mini fistpump and scoots closer to me with a smile on her face.

"Well, I stayed away from asking questions about our accommodations . . . but it may be better to ask now." Mr Xiao Long speaks up, earning a quick gaze from me and a nod for him to continue.

"Yang and Blake both have a room together. Yang would only sneak into Blake's room otherwise. I have two separate rooms for You and Mr Qrow, and I have Ruby and Shun sharing a room." I explain. My last words earning a surprised glare from everyone in the room aside from Mr Xiao Long who sits back and snickers.

"Weiss, Ruby will be staying with you. Qrow and I will share a room, and Shun will have her own room . . . preferably nearby." At his suggestion I begin to speak up but before I can he raises a hand to indicate he will explain. "You are dating my daughter . . . and while I do express a dislike for the displays of affection Yang shows to Blake, or you have shown to Ruby on rare occasions in my presence . . . It does not mean I expect you to destroy certain setups for the sake of pleasing me. Where are our rooms located? In relation to each other."

"Well, Yang and Blake will be next to Ruby and I. Then down the hall will be you, Mr Qrow, and Shun. Since Ruby will be staying with me now, that will leave 3 rooms at the end of the hall. One for each of you." I explain.

"Very well. Any arguments to the room accommodations. Anyone?" Mr Xiao Long looks around, nodding his head as everyone remains silent. "I see. Well, you four won't need to worry about the three of us. I will be dealing with Will, and as usual, Qrow and Shun will be helping with training. Yang, Blake, Ruby, Shun. I would hope you four to be on your best behavior . . . especially since Qrow and I have not seen Mr Schnee in awhile. So we have no idea how his attitude has changed . . . or hasn't for that matter."

"Sebastian." I call out after Mr Xiao Long is done speaking. In the same instant the tinted window near the very front of the car lowers, revealing the driver's seat and shotgun seat.

"Yes, Weiss?" He asks, looking over his shoulder at me with that natural grin of his.

"How long?"

"We're already here." He chuckles and looks in front of us.

I nod my head, opening the nearby window to see that we are just stopping at the gate. The large, Schnee crest breaking in half to the golden gates as they part to let the limo through. The mansion itself is very isolated, and the gate in front makes sure that there are no trespassers, along with the several security measures.

The limo pulls up to a large fountain and circles around it before pulling to a stop just in front of a walkway that leads to the well decorated front door of the familiar home. I haven't even stepped inside and I am already wishing I could head back to Beacon.

I'm home.


	7. Settling In

_**Sorry for the slightly late upload guys. Was taking care of some tests yesterday, but here you are! Do enjoy :3 Nothing special in this chapter.I know I know . . . it all seems like filler . . . but bare in mind that The giant fight in Schnee Manor's 'backyard' will surely make up for it!**_

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_**Chapter 7 - Settling In**_

_Wow, so this is where Weiss lives?_

I stare out Weiss' lowered window in complete shock and awe. The beautiful cut grass that surrounds the large mansion is such a healthy shade of green I never thought it were imaginable. Surrounding the property is a large, black fence that towers what most houses would have as a form of border making entry impossible for the normal person.

The mansion itself is far beyond what I thought it to be. It stands at four stories tall, and based on its shape as we entered. I assume that from an overhead view it will have a near perfect shape of an H. The horizontal strip being the area where we are currently stopped in front of and will enter.

I am only guessing, but I bet that the house has 'wings' specified for certain activities. One may be for eating, the other for sleeping, and so on and so forth. The building itself is a snow-white texture, and the windows have sort of a shiny, golden outline that is not that common, but also fits very well. The front door is a large, black double door, possibly doubled my height and has a fancy white glass with the Schnee Crest sitting in the center. If the door to the limo was not suddenly opened I could easily get lost in how fancy it is.

"Ms Rose, Ms Blake, Ms Yang, Ms Hitomi, Mr Branwen and Mr Xiao Long . . . allow me to welcome you to Schnee Manor." The calm voice the speaks to us as we all climb out is none other than the peculiar butler with an almost demonic grin that coats his face so naturally.

"Thank you, Sebastian . . . That will be all for now. I'll call you if you're needed." Weiss speaks in a borderline whisper, and when she is done he gives a simple nod and begins to walk away.

"Well, everyone grab your suitcase and let's get inside." Uncle Qrow says with his loud, enthusiastic voice. As he speaks he claps his hands and rubs his palms together.

"All our luggage is already inside." Weiss corrects, making us all look at her in confusion. We've barely been stopped for a minute, and we just got out the limo. How could our stuff be inside?

"Um . . . we just got her Weiss. I doubt you're fancy people are that fast." Yang says to interrupt the silence and confused stares.

"They aren't. Sebastian is simply an overachiever." Weiss explains and begins to walk for the large door, and the six of us follow. The walkway to the door is made of well-paved concrete, but once the door opens there is an instant change of scenery.

Beyond the door is a red carpet that leads straight ahead to a staircase that climbs until it makes contact with the far wall. From there it parts to the left and right, leading between the two sections of the house. The banisters are a reflective, chrome-gold color that shines with the bright lights of the overhead chandelier of the ceiling that is two stories high. The main room reminds me strangely of the room we used for prom night in Beacon. Below the red carpet, the floor is a shining, black texture that i can easily make out my reflection, as well as the reflection of the golden banisters. The walls are of course a white texture, although not as pearly as the outside walls of the building. They're probably one shade darker, making it so the inside doesn't have a blinding contrast if someone were to look at the floor and then look straight ahead.

However, the biggest surprise to me are all the maids lined up on either side of the red strip. There are easily about 20, and the moment we step into the mansion we are greeted by all of them in unison with a loud "Welcome to Schnee Manor!"

It's slightly disturbing when I realize that they all look the same. Each having a complexion similar to my own, but standing at somewhere around Blake's height. All of them wear the typical black and white maid outfit and their hair in ponytails. The only differences I can spot between them are different hair colors of white, red, black, blonde, and brown, along with different lengths.

"Are all the bags upstairs?" Weiss asks immediately, completely unphased by the welcome.

"Yes they are, Ms Schnee. Would you like them brought to the appropriate rooms?" The maid in the very front asks. While all of them are in very beautiful white and black outfits, the one in the front has the colors reversed. Both making her stand out the most and leave me in assumption that she is the 'Head Maid' should that title even exist.

"That's fine. We changed room accommodations last minute. Just . . . make sure the room at the end of Wing B is spacious. Move the furniture as you see fit. The one staying there is slightly restless." Weiss whispers, and Shun, knowing it is her being spoken of steps up with a grin.

"Hey, I can move furniture around. No need to give me a royal treatment." She smirks, placing her forearm on Weiss' shoulder.

"O-Oh . . . A faunus . . ."

"Nothing wrong with me being a faunus . . . is there?" Shun growls. While training with her I've noticed a slight tell she has when she is about to throw a kick, and with her growl I look down to her foot to see that her right heel is lifted off of the ground, letting me see the white underside of her black sneakers.

"Shun . . . please. She is the kindest person in this mansion, and therefore the last person you will detect any faunus hate from. Believe it or not, just because of who the owner of this place is does not mean everyone here is against you." Weiss cuts in almost instantly.

Shun nods her head and turns her gaze back to the Head Maid, "Sorry . . . I'm just edgy. If you don't mind, I'll take care of the furniture. I wouldn't mind if you stop by to direct traffic, though. I'm terrible at rearranging." Shun's mood changes in a heartbeat and I can see a bright smile from the Maid.

"Of course! I'll accompany everyone to their rooms! If you'll all follow me." She responds and quickly begins walking through the two lines of maids that nod their head as we all pass by. I follow quietly behind Weiss and Shun who are next to each other. Yang and Blake standing side by side behind me and finally Dad and Uncle Qrow are the last.

"Is my father home?" Weiss asks after we climb the first set of stairs and turn left to go up another.

"He is out on a business trip, Ms Schnee. He is due back in two days time."

The second flight leads us out of the main lobby and into another split hallway. Right at the three-way intersection is a door. That door turning out to be a stairwell that we follow the maid through and are sent into a climb of two flights on a spiraling staircase that has the same golden banisters, white colored walls, and a red carpet on the steps that contrasts to the black carpet in the hallway we exit at. As I exit behind Shun and Weiss I see that all our bags are neatly stacked in the middle of the hallway.

_How did they bring them all up here this fast?_

"Straight ahead leads to the next wing of the building. To the left are three bedrooms set for Ms Schnee's arrival, and to the right are four more . . . one of which is set with proper accommodations, as well as Ms Schnee's room at the end of the hall." She explains, letting us get a brief layout of the building.

While she speaks and explains I do my best to listen, but can't help letting my eyes wander around. I analyze the ice-blue textures of the wall in comparison to the white walls that were downstairs in the lobby.

"I'll show my teammates to their rooms. Ruby, Blake, Yang. We're going right." Weiss calls out, making me, Blake and Yang break off a few feet to the right and go fishing for our bags in the neatly organized pile. Shun, Uncle Qrow and Dad doing the same after we are done and following the maid down the opposite hallway.

"You made sure Dad and Uncle got the fancier rooms, didn't you?" Yang chuckles as we all follow Weiss.

"Slightly better than yours . . . I can send you down there if you want." Weiss looks over her shoulder at Yang with a smile.

"Nice try, Ice Queen. The further from my dad the better. Last thing I need is him knocking on my door just cause he hears one sound."

"Yang! I don't need to hear that!" I groan and semblance my way next to Weiss who isn't that far ahead, but I wanted to add the dramatic effect.

"Seriously, Yang . . . It's bad enough that Ruby saw in the bathroom." Blake says in as hushed a tone as she can in an attempt to make sure I don't hear her out of consideration.

"Okay. Yang, Blake here is your room." Weiss points to the door that looks to have a special emblem on it. The emblem is a black nightshade with orange and yellow flames surrounding it. It seems oddly familiar, but I've never seen that color scheme used before.

"Awwww, Weiss you deceptively nice heiress!" Yang yells from behind me, causing me to jump and get out of the way as my sister proceeds to hug and squeeze my girlfriend, much to her anger and physical pain.

"Yang! Let her go before you break her back!" Blake jumps in, wrapping her arms around Yang's shoulders and tugging the arms off before my sister can continue her infamous bearhug.

"Ugh! That's the last time I ever try to do something nice for you, Yang!" Weiss groans, both hands on her back to rub her pained midsection.

"Well, it was also a gift for me too . . . Thank you very much, Weiss." I look over my shoulder at Blake who has a wide smile at Weiss before shifting her eyes to the door.

"I . . . don't get it." I admit.

"Rubes . . . Weiss pretty much mixed Blake's emblem with a fire colored to my usual color-scheme. It's practically OUR emblem." Yang can't stop smiling as she talks and wraps her arms around Blake to hug and cradle her faunus girlfriend.

"Anyway . . . I'm sure you two will like the accommodations made . . . Let me show Ruby to my room." Weiss is quick to begin walking away and leave my overly affectionate sister with Blake, although I think her real reason is to escape being in Yang's hug-range.

"So, we're staying in your room?" I ask, although it is a very poor attempt at small talk.

"I just said that, Ruby . . . Just umm . . ." Weiss pauses, stopping at the final door at the end of the hall. It is about five doors away from Yang and Blake's room, and on the door itself is Weiss' emblem ". . . don't laugh"

Weiss takes a deep breath and pushes the door open. I follow her into the room and go completely jaw-dropped in shock. Weiss' room is completely tidy and neat with a beautiful white bed, white dresser, black carpet, ice-blue wall with white snowflakes designed all over it. But what has me jaw-dropped is in the corner of her room she has the world's largest stack of stuffed animals all neatly placed next to each other on a corner-furniture that is made of large, round platforms that get smaller in progression as you go up, making it seem like a tree-type of thing for all the teddybears to sit on.

"Oh . . . my . . . god" I say, staring at all of the teddybears, and Weiss looks at me with a visible flinch between each word I say.

"Ruby . . . It's a simple explanation rea-"

"THEY'RE SO CUTE!" I shout and semblance pass Weiss to the group of teddybears. Without thinking I lean down and wrap my arms around as many as I can and cradle them towards me. Each one is completely different and unique. For example, the six I managed to pick up are all the smallest, and are each a different animal. Although, I realize that there is a bit of a money investment in each of them considering her emblem sits right in the middle of each stuffed animal.

"Ugh! YOU DOLT! Put Buttercup and Snugglekin back on the second rack! Make sure you put Sergeant Fluff on the third rack against the wall! He likes to lean against it, and don't you dare think to put Grouchers next to Sergeant Fluff! They hate each other."

I pause, slowly looking over my shoulder at Weiss who stares at me with complete seriousness.

"Snugglekin? . . . Sergeant . . . Fluff?" I question, Weiss pausing in shock and then covering her lips. To think the Schnee heiress, a girl who use to scold me constantly for being childish would have a teddybear collection AND have them named is just a complete mind-blowing experience.

"St-stop being a pest!" Weiss shouts, turning her head away from me and putting her bags behind the door.

Now that I take a moment to look at the room, it is extremely spacious. Easily the same size as our room in Beacon. There is a large, queen-size bed near me which is directly across the room from the door. To the right of the bed (when looking at it from the doorway) is where I am currently with her massive community of stuffed animals. Along the other side of the bed is a gigantic mirror that is practically as big as the bed, but I see a slight crease in the middle of it and a few ridges underneath and on top. It is a mirror, but behind it is most likely a closet, or another room. When looking to the right from the room door is a door of the same size which is open. Inside I can see ice-blue tiles and a porcelain sink. That must be the bathroom. Next to the bathroom door is a 3-4 foot high dresser that has tons of drawers and many different cosmetics and brushes on top. The drawer itself is long enough to take up an entire wall of my room.

"I think it's cute, Weiss. Can I take one with me back to Beacon?" I ask with a smile, but Weiss quickly runs over and takes the small batch from my arms and places them back on the shelf in their appropriate spots.

"I'll get you your own, Ruby . . . it's just . . . These are literally all I have been able to keep throughout my childhood. My father would take out any old clothing and pictures I have, and replace them on a regular basis for me. This room was given to me roughly four months before I attended Beacon. I had a large argument with my father when he wanted to take away my stuff animals when I was younger. At the time there were far less, but I came to an agreement that these are the only things I can keep . . . If it makes things less weird . . . Snugglekin and Sergeant Fluff are my first two teddybears." Weiss looks at me with a smile.

"Wow . . ." I stand in shock that the only thing Weiss has been able to keep and cherish from her childhood are the group of fluffy animals kept neatly stacked in the corner of her room. I mean, I still have old parts from my first model of Crescent Rose, but I guess that is more 'normal' since it is mechanical parts and not teddybears, but with the sentiment she has attached to them, I am more than understanding of what value they hold in her eyes.

"Anyway, put your bag down where you wish. The bathroom is over there." She points to the door I had looked through before. "There's a toilet and shower in there, and if I should be in there then there is another bathroom in the hallway. I'll show it to you later."

I nod my head while Weiss speaks. Truth be told I would not want to wander around here without her. I may end up getting lost and I have no idea if there are always attendants walking around so they could help me find my way back. I'm sure they're all very busy, and the last thing I want is to further burden them by having to escort me throughout the house to a room that could be just around the next corner.

"Alrighty. So, since your dad isn't home what do we do for dinner? I mean, I guess when he comes back it's a definite that we'll be eating here, right?"

"That would be the case . . . I'm not following you, Ruby." Weiss blinks at me, showing her confusion with squinted eyes.

"What I mean is I think it would be cool to venture into Atlas a little. Go find somewhere to eat and explore the area . . . I know Atlas is home for you, but I don't think Blake, Yang, or Shun have been here before, or me for that matter." I explain to Weiss with a smile on my face. The entire time she looks slightly off into space, debating of venturing is a good idea for the day or not.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt . . . We can either walk or take a limo . . . that will decide how early we should leave. I'll leave that up for all of you to decide." Weiss moves to her bed to sit down, and absentmindedly I follow, seating myself right next to her. She's been insanely quiet for the most part. Well, not insanely, but Weiss is usually more talkative with me. It's easy to tell that something is bothering her, but I've learned that I can't push her to talk sometimes. She'll tell me when she is comfortable enough to talk about it, or at least has it worded properly. It's how she is, and most likely how she will always be.

"So, do Blake and Yang have a room like this?" I ask to break the building silence.

"Roughly the same size, yes. Slightly smaller I believe. I had their room customized a little bit . . . the emblem was just the first bit. I'm sure Yang will appreciate it the most. I'm scared to go near her until she's absorbed it all." Weiss sighs, reaching behind her to rub her lower back.

"Want a massage? I did tell you I use to give Yang massages. I wasn't joking, and I won't need to lift up your shirt." I add.

"I suppose that couldn't hurt . . . Just my lower back, please." She looks at me and leans back to lay down on her bed before rolling over onto her stomach. Her usual white outfit blends in so well with the ice-blue sheets and the white pillowcases. It is easy to tell that this room is Weiss'.

"As you wish, Princess." I smile.

Weiss is quick to scoff at the way I answer her and pulls a nearby pillow over to rest her arms on, and then lay her head on top of her arms. While Weiss gets comfortable I slide off of the bed and remount by placing my knees on either side of Weiss until I am able to rest my rear on the back of her thighs.

I reach down to Weiss' waist, untying the bag she keeps tied onto a ribbon wrapped around her waist which carries a few extra crisp dust shards. I place the bag down next to the pillow where she can see it and proceed to drag my fingers along her sides, finding a good spot to hold while I press around with my thumbs for that pained spot.

After a few seconds of searching I can feel Weiss tense. I nod to myself and begin playing around with that specific spot. Each firm press and movement earning a momentary flinch and groan from Weiss who eventually learns to relax from the sensation. Yang really did a number on her with that hug, although it is probably something that would have settled itself in a few hours.

"I think that does it . . . I hope." The last two words coming out as a whisper. Yang is the only person I have ever massaged, but her semblance makes it a lot easier to work on her. The real masseuse is Yang who has actually taken classes on the subject. Although I think when she took those classes she had other things in mind.

"I'm sure that'll be fine. Thank you, Ruby." Weiss sighs, not even budging after I stopped.

"You okay?" I lean down to plant a peck on her cheek.

"Tired . . . I didn't sleep much. I'm just going to lay here for a bit, Ruby. There's a remote on the dresser, and the projector is overhead." Weiss mumbles and drifts off to her own little dreamland seconds later.

_No problem, Princess. I'll be here when you wake up._


	8. Getting Comfortable

_**Super late upload guys, I know. Been a little busy with college. Mid-terms are around, essays here and there, and this weekend I've had a flu of 102 . . . Been sweating so much that I've had to change my sheets and flip over my mattress. Not the most pleasant thing to deal with to say the least. Anyway, here is chapter 8, just a little Bumbleby and an interruption to bug people since that's what I do. As always, please give me feedback so I know what's a hit or miss, and what I can do to improve on in the next chapter.**_

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_**Chapter 8 - Getting Comfortable**_

"Yang! Let her go before you break her back!"

I'm happy. Far too happy for words. So what do I do? I give Weiss all of my appreciation and affection in one tight hug. The problem with that is I have a lot of affection to give, and she's just a teeny tiny bit fragile. Totally has nothing to do with my awesome muscles.

I feel a set of arms slide underneath my arms and biceps to pry me off of Weiss who steps away with a pained groan. It seems like I overdid the hug just a little bit, but I'm sure she knows it was all due to happiness.

"Ugh! That's the last time I ever try to do something nice for you, Yang!"

Okay, so I definitely overdid the hug. I guess I let my excitement get the better of me. Seeing something like a combination of my emblem and Blake's being unified in such a way and actually having a place to exist aside from my head is just pretty awesome. As Blake pulls me away further from Weiss and lets me go after she feels we are far enough apart, I hear her call out to Weiss in her naturally relaxed tone.

"Well, it was also a gift for me too . . . Thank you very much, Weiss."

I turn around, giving Blake a tight hug while Ruby goes over to Weiss and finally speaks up about the emblem on the door.

"I . . . don't get it" Ruby says with confusion in her tone.

"Rubes . . . Weiss pretty much mixed Blake's emblem with a fire colored to my usual color-scheme. It's practically OUR emblem." I shout with a cheek to cheek smile.

I keep my arms tightly wrapped around Blake's waist, but being more cautious with my strength. I can hear slight chuckles from Blake as we both take the time to admire the emblem on the door.

"Anyway . . . I'm sure you two will like the accommodations made . . . Let me show Ruby to my room."

By the time I turn around to look at Weiss, her and Ruby are already walking down the hall, leaving me and Blake to go into the room.

"I can't believe she went this far. I love it!"

"Yang, maybe you can keep saying how much you love the emblem while we are IN the room?" Blake rubs my back, encouraging me to let go and pick up my suitcase from the floor.

I nod my head to her and push the large, white door open and walk inside. My jaw drops for a second time and excitement boils in my blood as I analyze the entire room. The is carpeted black and to match it the bed sheets are also black. Well, the left half of them are black. I smile, the bed split right down the middle with the sheets being half black and half yellow. On the black side there is Blake's emblem sitting there as large as can be in white. On the yellow end my emblem can be seen in orange. The walls of the room are also black, making it have a lack in color, but me and Blake usually favor the dark for the most part.

To our right is a large dresser, and on top is a small lamp that is clipped onto the edge of the dresser. It's small, but the clip at the end makes it useful for Blake to clip it wherever she is sitting and use it to read her book. On the far wall from us and towards the right corner is an open white door with blue tiles decorating the floor. That is without a doubt the bathroom, and on the same wall, but to the left corner is a mirror that I can tell is slidable. My guess is that is a closet for use to stuff our suitcases in until we leave.

"Don't go breaking Weiss' back again." I feel a hand brush over my right shoulder and when I turn in that direction Blake is smiling at me.

"I won't. I promise." I answer back to her. The two of us walk over to the closet and take note that there is nothing on the left side of the room. The dresser is on the right, and the left only has a small wooden table and two chairs there. Something that could be used for studying or taking apart a small weapon for maintenance.

"Think this side was left empty on purpose?" I ask Blake who is prioritizing putting her bag in the closet, and then doing so with mine.

"Look for a projector. Maybe that's the wall it's used on." Blake suggests while she adjusts our two bags in some special way.

I look at the empty part of the room, but don't see anything that could be given away as a projector. After a second of thought I realize the projector would be far from the wall to make sure the image will be large enough. Instantly my eyes dart to the ceiling, and after a few seconds of searching I end up seeing that the projector is directly over the bed. It is very small, possibly the size of an apple, but after seeing the same one in the airship I know that it has to be a projector at first glance.

"You called it. It's over the bed." I tell Blake who is still shuffling through the closet. "You alright in there?"

"Yes, Yang . . . just give me a second." She says with mild annoyance. Possibly from having to hassle with whatever she trying to do.

I decide it may be best to give her a bit of breathing room so I walk over to the bed and sit down, noting that the small, silver remote for the projector is sitting on the center of the bed. I grasp the silver remote and point it straight above me while pressing the power button. There's a loud, audible chime to let me know that the projector is turning on and in a few seconds the entire wall is being coated by a dim image that slowly becomes brighter and more visible.

I look back over to Blake again who is still in the closet, although from where I am sitting I can see the lower half of her body sticking out of the closet, but her upper body is hidden by the closet door.

"Blake you okay?" I call out to her, worried about what she is struggling and trying to do in the closet. I end up taking a brief peek at her backside. which turns into a several second stare for me to memorize every inch and curve she is flaunting with the help of her tight pants.

_Yup . . . The BellaBooty is definitely real._

My stare is broken when Blake finally stands upright and begins to move out of the closet with several clothes held in her hand. I stand up and walk over to help her but she stubbornly walks passed me and goes around the bed to place them on the large dresser. A closer inspection and I realise that she is holding both of our clothes.

"I could have helped with that, Blake!" I yell at her, but not from anger. I feel bad that she just carried enough clothes to fit in two suitcases by herself after stacking them neatly on each other.

"I felt like doing it, Yang." She looks over her shoulder and smiles at me. I can't help but to return the smile at her.

The dresser she put the clothes on is wider than it is tall. It has three rows of long drawers lined into two columns making for a total of six. The dominant color on the dresser is white, and on the sides are several black designs that have no specific shape to them, but looked at as a whole it reminds me of some sort of tribal writing.

I turn my attention back to Blake who is separating my clothes into three piles. My usual underwear, bra, and socks in one pile. My undershirts and sleepwear in another, and finally the clothing I wear to go out in the third. Just as she finishes I watch as she places each pile into a separate drawer in the same column, then without a word she does the same for her own clothing and puts them in the drawers in the other column.

I make it a point to stand nearby as she does so, letting her know I am there if she needs anything, but she doesn't say a word, and neither do I. I just stand there and watch her make quick work of organizing and when she is done she goes over to the bed and lays down, looking at me with her usual, blank stare.

"What are you standing there for? May as well take a break since we just got here. I'm sure someone will come by and get us if we are going to train or if Weiss wants to show us around the place." As she talks she kicks off her boots and rolls around to find a comfortable position on the mattress that she can lay still in.

"I guess. You could have left my clothes in the suitcase. No need to go through that for me." I walk over to the bed and sit next to her at the very edge. She scoots over, pushing her back against me and gazing at me lazily over her shoulder while I look to my left to meet her stare.

"Well you weren't going to do it. You'd leave them all in the suitcase and make a mess of everything when you take your clothes out. It wasn't any trouble, Yang." Blake turns her gaze back ahead of her to look towards the projector.

I give a shake of my head and smile. I kick off my boots and lay down next to her. I am practically laying at the edge of the bed while I slide myself as close to her as possible, pretty much adapting her same position to press my thighs to hers and my chest to her back.

"Yang . . . no." Blake calls out to me.

"But I haven't done anything, Blake!" I protest.

"I said no . . . get up." The scowl in her tone lets me know to not push my luck and (reluctantly) I get up.

The moment I slide off the bed she slides more to the middle and pats the spot behind her. I stand there in confusion, and when she doesn't feel any movement in the bed she looks over her shoulder at me. The look on my face pleading for an explanation.

"You would have fell off." The way she says it and shrugs her shoulders makes me shake my head with how she makes it seem I am doing something wrong, when she is just trying to show that she cares. She can be like Weiss sometimes, but Blake does her things purposefully, and most likely to mess with me.

"Seriously? Then why the pissed voice?" While I question her I crawl onto the yellow and black mattress and meet Blake right in the center where the black sheets transition to yellow. This time when I lay down next to her, she rotates herself to face me.

"Because, you shouldn't question me." She says so matter-of-factly, but right after she leans forward and gives me a brief peck to my upper lip, drawing a smile out of me and causing me to drop the topic.

"What do you think about the free-for-all Uncle Qrow mentioned?" I lay a hand on her hip while we speak.

"What about it? I think it may be fun . . . as well as a large challenge. It may be good to take a look around the 'backyard' for the sake of knowing what we will be dealing with. If your uncle said that things will go on for as long as needed . . . and in a large area like that then it may be good to have a few camping areas in mind." Blake tugs my other arm underneath her head to use as a pillow. She closes her eyes when she is done speaking, but based on her posture I can tell she doesn't plan on taking a nap.

"Yeah . . . he said there will be a separate prize for each of us. I wonder what each one will be." I begin to ponder, but quickly lift my head when I hear yelling out in the hallway.

"Ow ow ow! You're gonna rip 'em off! I ain't wanna bother you with it! OW!"

I look to Blake who is looking at the door just like I was. That voice was definitely Hito, but it was almost like a pleading whine rather than a sound of her actually being attacked. Seconds later there is a knock at the door and Blake is the one to get up and go over while I sit at the foot of the bed to see who is there.

When Blake gets to the door she opens it as wide as possible and steps aside to let me see that it is Uncle Qrow holding Hito by one of her faunus ears. The look of pain on her face with her head tilted to lean into the painful pinch shows on her face. It's rare to see her in visible pain, but there is no doubt that having her ear pulled like that is anything but enjoyable, and the look on Uncle Qrow's face is far less than pleased.

"Talk." He whispers, letting go of Hito's ear and palms her in the back ,sending her rolling into the room from his brute force. Uncle Qrow was never rough with women, even if he was training them, so for him to handle Hito like a rag doll means she must have done something to really piss him off.

"Fuck . . ." She groans, holding her left hand over her ear. "Didn't wanna bother you, Sunflower…"

"BUT!?" Uncle Qrow shouts. The loud, firm tone makes the three of us wince.

"My back's a bit knotted up . . ." She whispers.

"Wait, so why is Uncle Qrow making such a fuss?" I look at Uncle Qrow who is glaring holes through Hito.

"She's still in pain from the axe kick that Ruby did to her while Tai and I were out. I'm pissed because she had so many opportunities to ask Tai for help and instead has been hiding it. Tai went into the backyard to check out the area so I went to check on Shun and I could tell instantly she wasn't moving properly. I'd appreciate if Yang could take care of this while I go get Ruby for something." He stands in the doorway with his arms folded.

"Yang will take care of it, Mr Qrow . . ." Blake gives her reassurance to my uncle and slowly closes the door. "He seemed really concerned."

"Concern!? You want to call _that_ CONCERN!?" Hito shouts, still rubbing her ear.

"Don't be so dramatic." Blake whispers.

"She's right, Hito. As a martial artist you need to keep your body at its peak . . . it's like me not keeping Ember Celica clean and ready even though I'm a Huntress." I explain, gesturing her to the bed while Blake is already sitting down on her side. "Besides, you're fighting with us in two days . . . Uncle Qrow must really want you to go all out."

"Trust me, he doesn't want me to go all out." She growls, then seats herself next to me.

"That's arrogant, don't you think?" Blake calls out from behind the two of us.

"It's not arrogant. If he wants me to go all out I will know." Hito looks to Blake then turns around and lays down with her feet still hanging off the bed right next to me.

"And how is that?" Blake continues to pressure Hito with questions, and me not wanting to get involved leaves me as an onlooker.

"Because unlike you two I am forced to abide by certain rules. I can't run at my fastest because of these damn anklets." She lifts her foot and points to the device Uncle Qrow has used for weight training. "I can't abuse the better vision of my right eye, and on top of that I can't use the more advanced stages of my semblance!"

_So that's what she did earlier . . . _

"There has to be a reason. I find it hard to believe that Mr Qrow would handicap you that much without a backup. He seems to be very calculated when he wants to, and that anger of his was a relay of concern . . . I've seen it from Weiss too many times to not know." Blake shrugs her shoulders and stands up to go to the closet. When she comes back out I see the color scheme of a familiar book and chuckle. "Anyway, do your thing, Yang. I'll be reading."

_So much for relaxing a little bit._

I sigh, looking between Hito and Blake. It's just a basic heat therapy, but still . . . doing it for my ex while my current girlfriend is in the room is far beyond awkward. Finally after settling down my thoughts I crawl onto the bed and kneel over Hito. I give a few looks to Blake which are eventually seen but all she does is lower the book far enough for me to see her smile.

I give her a nod in return and can't help but smile at her trust. I give a firm smash of my knuckles and start to press my palms into Hito's lower back. I let myself relax, allowing my aura to go free and start to heat up that area until I feel a shiver and a borderline-growl that was her purring.

While I am working on Hito's lower back I can hear a pair of footsteps pass by in the hallway. I don't hear any voices so I can't identify who it is, but Blake possibly sees me leaning towards the door and speaks up.

"That was your uncle and Ruby. Something about him wanting to show her something. I couldn't hear it all."

I nod my head and continue to let my aura leave my palms in its uncontrolled form. Another ten minutes pass and something hits me right in the center of my back. I look over my shoulder and see it's Hito's heel. My lack of movement earns another kick from her but I keep still out of spite.

"I'm not an animal, Hito. You can say you're good." I roll my eyes.

"You know I hate to talk when I'm relaxed . . . Sheesh."

She has her arms resting underneath her head to serve as a makeshift pillow. She really appears to have been enjoying herself.

"Regardless . . . You can say you feel better." I sigh and lean down to dig an elbow in the center of her back.

"Okay okay! I'm fine! Thanks! Just don't break my back after you fixed it!" She shouts.

I nod my head and slide off of her with a smile of triumph on my face. Blake is over by the table still snickering after the entire episode and shakes her head.

"Man . . . this will make a difference during the free-for-all." Hito stands up and walks over to the door. As she does Blake gives me a nudge and a specific nod that tells me to follow along.

"I doubt that will make much of a difference." Blake says. I look over to Hito and I notice her freeze in place and her ears twitch.

". . . What was that Belladonna?" She slowly turns her head and gives a death glare with her only visible eye.

"She's right Hito," I join in, "I don't think you have much of a chance of winning with the entire team involved.

I'm not sure what Blake is planning, but I'll find out afterwards for sure. If my guess is correct . . . she wants to make sure EVERYONE will be giving their all. Even Hito who looks like she is about to blow any second.

. . . Here I thought Schnee Manor would be peaceful.


	9. Preparations

_Well, here is chapter 9. This is the last chapter I have in storage for the time being. I've been hoping to get some reviews since I kind of feed off of feedback to get my chapters done. The more reviews I get, the quicker I am able to get a chapter out. But, anyway. Here is chapter 9 for you all._

_I actually was not going to upload this tonight since I am trying to stay one chapter ahead, but I saw a review from a Guest called __  
_ who was asking for a Ruby chapter and well . . .this chapter is a Ruby chapter! The irony!

So, Moonlight! This chapter's for you, Bud. Thanks for the review, and please drop some more in the future. I read ALL of my reviews, and try to respond to the ones I can.

* * *

_**Chapter 9 - Preparations**_

"500 feet, 10 degree gradient. No motion."

I nod my head, my thumb flicking the safety.

_Relax . . . It's an easy shot . . . I can't miss._

There is a ear ringing silence as I look through my scope. The opaque snowflake emblem that serves as my crosshairs makes me smile. I'm right . . . there's no way I can miss. Not when she's right here helping my aim. My index finger trails along the trigger. Itching the crescent-shaped metal for a final few seconds. My body is still, my breathing is calm, nothing is altering my shot. My next exhale is slow, the pounding in my chest slowing and becoming audible in my eardrums. For all of two seconds I hear my entire body's harmonic music. Those calming sounds followed by an echoing gunshot from Cresent Rose.

I watch through the scope, wincing as I see the impact but the hand that raises with an upraised thumb lets me know that no harm has been done.

"See, what I tell you? No pain against flesh . . . These are your aura draining rounds . . . I'll cook up one more thing for you to tinker with, alright?"

Uncle Qrow is right behind me while he speaks and my dad is far off in the distance, starting to walk away and go about his business after I just took a sneak attack at him from the roof of Schnee Manor. I guess Uncle Qrow told him first. We are overlooking the backyard, and from here I can already make out four landmarks. Two of them are towers on opposite sides of the backyard forest. The third is a small cabin that I can just barely make out the roof of from this distance, and that was with the help of Crescent Rose's new sight . . . I still need to name it. The fourth and final landmark is a large opening in the forest. I can't see what is in it, but there is a massive area that has no trees. If I had to guess I would say it is maybe some sort of court for sports, or maybe a sparring field, but with this being Weiss' home it may have something much much fancier (and probably unnecessarily fancy) sitting in that plot.

I watch as Dad rubs his shoulder. I managed to get a clean shot right on that spot but there is no blood, no bruises, and if anything he just seems annoyed at the shot. Satisfied that the new rounds are non-lethal, I put down Crescent Rose and look over my shoulder at Uncle Qrow to answer him.

"What are the other ones going to be?" I ask out of curiosity.

"Rubber rounds" He states with a grin.

"Why rubber?"

"Something to really hurt and slow someone down if you get a good hit, You don't want to just hit 'em with aura-sapping rounds . . . if you cross Yang she'll muscle through it, no problem. It also provides a good bluff and versatility . . . I COULD design one more . . . but you may not have it until the day of . . ."

Uncle Qrow has that odd gleam in his eyes. That gleam of his when a brilliant idea strikes him and he just wants to take off to go to work. I get my passion for weapons through Uncle Qrow. He could tell if something was wrong with a weapon by holding it and using it for a few seconds. He doesn't need to know any of a weapon's functions to know what could be the problem.

Uncle Qrow has always been oddly gifted, and it is almost disturbing when I think about it. He knows how to control his aura to near perfection, and his knowledge of weaponry is second to none in my eyes, yet Uncle Qrow decided to teach at Signal with gifts and talents like his. He could still be an active Hunter. My dad has his own talents with aura and healing. It is not as flashy or as easily flaunted as Uncle Qrow's talents, but needless to say that my dad is very experienced in his own right and for all I know could be able to stand against Uncle Qrow in a fight.

"Just don't go overboard, please. You don't need Cresent Rose, do you?" I ask with a slight hug, holding the long barrel of the scythe to my chest. I hate being separated from my Sweetheart.

"No I won't need your Sweetheart, Ruby. If anything I will just need you to test the ammunition rounds when they are ready." He responds with a chuckle in his voice.

_Yes!_

I do a small fist pump while I change Cresent Rose into its passive form and place it on my back. Not a moment after I am semblancing passed my uncle to go back to Weiss, but just as I pass him I feel my cape get caught on something and my legs are sent forward while my upper body is tugged back. Needless to say I end up on my behind.

When I look over my shoulder to see what happened I see Uncle Qrow looking at me and shaking his head. My cape held tightly in his hand.

"Don't run, Ruby . . . show some class while you're here." He smiles while releasing my cape.

"Sorry." I blush, scratch the back of my head and stand up. I take Uncle Qrow's advice to heart and walk towards the door that leads to the spiraling stairwell that I take down to the second floor.

Thankfully it is the same staircase we were brought upstairs through earlier. It makes it easy to remember how to get to Weiss' room from here. After exiting the staircase I turn right and walk all the way down the hall, taking note as I pass Yang and Blake's room, labeled by the special emblem Weiss had put on it. When I get to the end of the hall I look at Weiss' door and carefully slip it open. I am not surprised to see she is still out cold. I've only been gone about half an hour so it is no surprise she is still asleep.

_I'm back Princess!_

I smile, walking towards her bed, being very careful with my steps to not wake her. My combat boots don't want to agree with my desire for silence unfortunately. I decide to stay where I am to undo the laces of my combat boots and slip out of them before continuing towards Weiss. When I reach her large bed I sit at the edge and lay back. It takes me a few pushes of my arms and gentle kicks of my feet, but I manage to 'crab walk' my way to Weiss and lay down next to my sleeping Princess.

She has that sweet, innocent look on her face that she always has when she sleeps. Her inhales are through her nose, and her exhales come out of her slightly puckered lips. It may be just a tiny bit creepy for me to lay so close and watch her sleep, but I don't know the area very well and want Weiss to be the one to show me around. Uncle Qrow is going to be in his 'happy place' with making new rounds for Crescent Rose . . . which is not a bad thing since I am the same way, but he gets angry at even the slightest sound that will break his concentration.

I could always go see what Yang and Blake are up to . . . but I don't want to walk in and see them doing something that will scar me for life, or knock on the door and hear noises that I could go without even catching wind of. I could go check on Shun, but then she may make me do more workouts even though Weiss already made me do the daily workout Shun gives me.

The last option would be my dad, and while I love my dad to death . . . I'm slightly nervous about being alone with him now since he may start to question me more and more about my relationship with Weiss. The last thing I want to tell my dad is that Weiss and I did the deed and I popped her cherry.

_Come to think of it . . . I still have my cherry. Wonder if that means I'm still a virgin. Well, if my dad asks me if I'm a virgin I'll say yes! perfectly sound logic and I won't be lying!_

I nod my head, glad to have some sort of sound logic should I get questioned at any point. I still don't plan on going to find my dad in that large outdoor property. It is far bigger than the forest behind my house on Patch, and the thought there the entire area may not be pure forest makes me worry that I may get lost because I keep heading towards the same landmarks.

"There is no way in hell I'm losing. Your semblance giving you heat stroke?" There is no doubt in my mind that the voice I just heard is Shun.

I lean over to Weiss, sneaking a little kiss against her lips before I carefully roll away from her and drop to the floor, managing to catch myself on my palms and toes without making much noise. I stand up and go to the open door and pop my head outside to peek down the hall towards Yang's room to see Shun is standing at the door with her arms folded. Yang and Blake are there as well. It looks like the three of them are having a conversation.

"Well, if Uncle Qrow's making you hold back . . . we may as well go after you first in case he changes his mind." Yang shrugs her shoulders. At this distance I shouldn't be able to hear their conversation, but the high ceiling makes it much easier to hear them, and with minimal effort on my part.

"You think I'm going down that easily!? You have another thing coming, Sunflower! You better hope this thing doesn't last until sunset!" Shun shouts and begins walking far down the hall towards her room. Blake and Yang end up going back into their room soon after, leaving me staring into an empty hallway.

With Weiss still asleep I decide it won't hurt to go check on Yang and Blake to see what just happened. I leave the room and close Weiss' door, but leave it just a crack open. While I walk down the hall I begin to really admire the soft fluffiness of the carpet below.

_Wait, how am I feeling the carpet?_

I blink and look down to see that I'm not in my combat boots and instead just a pair of red socks.

_Smart, Ruby. Real smart. _

I shake my head and continue down the hall. When I come up to Blake and Yang's door I realize it is open and I decide to wait there to hear what is going on.

"Think that'll get her to talk to my uncle?"

"She's prideful . . . You want her to go all out, and that may have pissed her off enough to do it."

"Yup, that's exactly what I wanted. I want to see how far she's gotten. I don't want anyone to be holding back."

"It may not end well for either one of us, Yang. Weiss' semblance is much stronger, Ruby's skill with Crescent Rose is amazing . . . and now she has some ability without it. Now Shun who neither one of us know what her true potential is will join the fray. I am not sure either one of us will make it . . . even if we team up."

"You three aren't the only ones who've been getting stronger. My aura training with Uncle Qrow taught me a new trick."

"Oh? and what might that be?"

"Now why would I tell you, Kittycat? We haven't even agreed we'd team up . . . Besides, we don't even know the prizes yet. We may end up stabbing each other in the back. All in the name of friendly competition of course."

I take a slow step backwards, moving away from the door. I keep backtracking until I am more than halfway down the hall then turn around to enter a small jog to go back into Weiss room.

_Blake and Yang teaming up? That be good . . . I wonder if Weiss would want to team up after hearing that._

I take a deep breath and sigh. The supposed Free-for-all that was supposed to take place in two days was starting to become a team affair with Shun standing alone in the middle. It makes me wonder of Uncle Qrow took us teaming up into consideration, but then why not just make it Weiss and me against Blake and Yang? Why would he add Shun into the mix? I doubt he'd put her in if he thought any of us were teaming up. It's not logical in any sense. Shun is strong, but without being able to trigger her aura in a defensive manner . . . she'll get destroyed.

I walk back into Weiss' room, letting out a massive groan of frustration without realizing the actual volume of it. The husky groan makes Weiss groan in return, but it is far cuter than anything I have heard from her before.

"Ugh . . . Dolt . . . Why can't I ever get sleep with you around." Weiss tries to scold me, but that tone is more of a whine.

"Sorry." I walk towards the bed and sit down next to her with a big smile on my face. She opens her left eye and stares at me. The right side of her face is smooshed against her pillow, and her hair is a mild mess of slight bedhead.

"Did you at least find out if Blake and Yang want to go out to eat or not?" Weiss sighs. She rolls onto her back and sits up. She begins to rub her eyes as she usually does when she wakes up and gives me that absent 'what are you looking at' stare.

"I'll take care of that now. Be right back!" I smile and start to walk towards the door. On my way I can hear Weiss mumbling.

"Ugh . . . Your semblance may be speed, but you still excel at wasting time."

_Yup, that's my Princess._

I smile, walking down the same hallway to the cracked door and give a few hard knocks before pushing it open.

"Yang, Blake! Weiss wants to know if you two want to go to town-" I pause mid-step in the doorway. My left foot is frozen in mid air, and the balance of my body is slightly forward since I was just about to finish my step into the room.

In front of me is Yang pinned down to the bed by Blake who is right on top of her. That is not something that would bother me . . . but with Blake's knee between Yang's legs, and Yang's hands grabbing Blake's behind, it is hardly a sight I want to stay with.

"I think Yang was just about ready to go to town, Ruby." Blake looks over her shoulder at me. Her comment and play on my unfinished question makes Yang snicker and sit up, causing Blake to hold onto a now upright Yang who is looking over her girlfriend's shoulder to see me.

"Sorry, Sis. I'll lock the door next time . . . and put the red ribbon. Anyway, what's up?"

_How are they so nonchalant about this? _

"Weiss wants to know if you two want to go into the city for dinner . . . and if you want to take a limo or not."

"Of course we're taking a limo! Come on! The last time I rode in a limo was well . . . today!"

"I'll second that . . . They are very spacious and comfortable. I'd prefer to enjoy them while the luxury is available." Blake answers in a much calmer and quieter voice than Yang.

"Alrighty. Limo it is." I nod my head and leave the room as quick as possible. Mainly to get that image that has been melted into my mind to fade.

When I get back to Weiss' room she is sitting up at the edge of her bed and looking into the mirror that is her closet door. She's currently brushing out her hair, dealing with the several tangles that were created while she was sleeping.

"Let me guess. Yang wanted to enjoy the limo?" Weiss asks, although it came off as a statement almost.

"Yup. Blake actually had the same reason." I add.

"Not surprising . . . Hopefully we don't bump into any of my suitors." Weiss raises her shoulders and lets out a deep high when she drops them.

"Yang will take care of them." I walk over to the bed and crawl onto it so I can slide myself to sit behind Weiss with my legs on either side of her and my chest against her back. "Yang may not act like it much . . . but you're part of OUR family. Uncle Qrow, Dad, Yang, me . . . and Blake is part of the family now too."

"Are you implying that I will be losing my maiden name?" Weiss jokes.

"Just say the word, Weiss Rose." I shoot back without much of a second thought.

"Dolt."

"Your dolt."

". . . My dolt."

I rest my hands on Weiss' hips, keeping my head resting on her left shoulder. She has her long hair held over her right shoulder so she can look at it while she combs it out.

"So, when are we leaving?" I ask.

"About four hours . . . For now I need to spar with Yang." Weiss says it so calmly, but that immediately makes me think back to what happened when her and Yang sparred for the first time.

"Weiss, why do you want to spar with Yang?" There's audible worry in my voice.

"It's nothing serious, Ruby. Just semblance practice. It may not seem like much, but my glyphs have increased two inches in radius. That's almost 1.5 times the size I have been capable of doing. If I can keep that pace up then I will be able to create something much larger by the time the Vytal Festival comes by. You should probably work on your marksmanship with Crescent Rose . . . I don't think you've practiced much with the sight I bought you.

"Where am I going to practice?"

"Well, from the roof you can see two towers off in the distance . . . Hmmm . . ." Weiss pauses and begins to think. ". . . Sebastian."

She calls out the name, but in a normal tone, making me raise an eyebrow in confusion.

"Weiss, he isn't-"

"Yes, Weiss?"

I jump as I look up to the mirror to see that over my shoulder is the tall, devilish butler standing there with his arms behind his back and that same creepy smile across his face.

"Would you mind setting up a few targets on the lookouts for Ruby? She wants to use her sniper for target practice." Weiss doesn't even seem slightly creeped out by how quick he appeared.

"Very well. They will be set by the time Miss Rose is prepared."

"R-ruby's fine." I jump in.

". . . Ruby it is." He smiles at me through the mirror before walking around the bed and out the door.

"I'll go with you for your target practice. Then you can come down and watch Yang and I spar. Is that alright" Weiss looks straight ahead of her to meet my eyes from the mirror. I am quick to nod my head and cling onto her slender, chilled form.

"That sounds good. Do you have a pair of binoculars?" I question.

"Of course I do. There's always a pair on the roof." Weiss smiles at me and stands up from the bed. At the same time she reaches behind herself to grasp my hands and pull me up with her. "Also . . . you may want to put your combat boots on first."

_It's good to see she is still relaxed around me._


	10. Copycat

_Okay, so feedback was a lot better than it has been in a while xD. I was able to pick out some positives and critiques which gave me a crapton of ideas to implement in later chapters. Perfect! _

_So, I was able to fix this chapter up at the speed of light. Hopefully you all enjoy!_

_I will like to mention one I got in specific, and it was someone saying that these chapters are too short. I suppose I set myself up for this when I started getting out 4k and 7k length chapters, but I think having all of my chapters up till now above 3k is pretty damn good. Especially since when I started I struggled to keep at 2k. Anyway, I'm sure as the story progresses I will get longer chapters since things will be getting juicy. It's still a slow start, a little slower than my first fanfic, although the first real action didn't happen until chapter 10 . . .wait a minute . . .HEY LOOK IT'S CHAPTER 10! _

_. . . Half-Life 10 confirmed._

_Anyway, leave me your opinions on chapter length. Be honest about it so I can see what I can do! Don't be afriad to leave a review either. I always read all of my reviews, just ask **Moonlight Dancer** :P_

_Anyway! Chapter 10! COPYCAT!_

* * *

_**Chapter 10 - Copycat  
**_

"Damnit, Yang!" The echoing clap within the small room is accompanied by a stinging sensation on my right cheek . . . rear cheek of course considering Yang is nearby. I look over my shoulder to the seated brawler who is giving me one of her arrogant smirks. That confident look of hers makes me shake my head and boils my blood with the need to retaliate.

"Sorry Kittycat . . . The Bellabooty is real." She shrugs that stinging smack off so casually. That unapologetic look of hers can make me so pissed at times.

"Is that so?" I roll my eyes and lift my foot into the air. Yang gives me a tilt of her head, wondering what I am going to do with that foot until I press it just below her breasts and use it to push her down to the bed. Just before she can posture up I am already on top of her. My nails digging into her shoulders and my knee near the last place I would ever expect myself to place it - between Yang's legs - but I have a little plan to get her back.

"Oh? Is it as real as 'Little Miss _I Didn't Trim Today_'?" I reinforce my words by moving my knee up just slightly. The combination of my evil reminder of Yang's bashfulness on the night of my deflowering and the knee between her thighs brings a surprising blush to her lips. An even better result than what I was anticipating.

"Alright, alright. I get it, Blake . . . Sorry." Yang whispers, "Please get off . . . it's like everytime we're in a position like this . . . Ruby just always pops in."

Yang's words are followed by her hands resting on my rear, but more attention given to the cheek she harshly smacked earlier.

"Not like I don't like you on me like this. It's nice to see you care." Yang's smile changes to a silent groan when a voice starts to speak up, and finally the door to the room is pushed open. Of course it would be none other than Ruby.

"Yang! Blake! Weiss wants to know if you two want to go to town-"

"Called it . . ." Yang whispers.

"Relax, Yang. Just play it off casually." I whisper and turn my head to Ruby. "I think Yang was just about ready to go to town, Ruby."

I can't help but smile at Ruby's shocked face to yet again being the victim of appearing at the wrong time. This is the second time, and I am pretty confident to say it won't be the last. Yang's slight groan to my wordplay on Ruby's unfinished sentence also brings a smile to my lips, but she seems to realize I'm just trying to lighten the mood . . . and also get a little more payback.

I feel Yang try to sit up, and realize my nails are still poking at her shoulders. The mild impalement is quickly corrected on my part which lets Yang sit up and look at her sister without me obstructing her view so much.

"Sorry, Sis. I'll lock the door next time," right there seems like a perfect apology from Yang, but of course she needs to throw a little extra in there. I have no doubt she is talking about the clear mark, "and put the red ribbon. Anyway, what's up?"

"Weiss wants to know if you two want to go into the city for dinner . . . and if you want to take a limo or not." Ruby explains and finally breaks off from that little expression of hers.

"Of course we're taking a limo!" Yang blurts out, "COme on! The last time I rode in a limo was well . . . today!"

"I'll second that . . . They are very spacious and comfortable. I'd prefer to enjoy them while the luxury is available." I add, being very calm and maintaining a leveled tone as opposed to Yang's outburst.

"Alright. Limo it is." Ruby nods her head and is quick to get out of the door without delay.

"Really Blake? 'I think Yang was about to go to town'. Are you seriously trying to scar my sister?" Yang stands up, holding me by my ear before she turns around and sits me on the bed.

"I'm sure she's experienced far worse from your other dates. Besides . . . if that were Weiss you would've approved in a heartbeat. I wasn't lying anyway." I smirk as I look up to Yang.

"Oh, please. I wasn't about to do a thing." She defends with a roll of her eyes and her hands on her hips.

"Oh? Have I lost some of my appeal, then? I guess I could always give Sun a call an-"

"Not funny." Yang's aura flares slightly at my mention of Sun. She is such a jealous girl and I can't help but to enjoy it.

"Alright, I'll keep him out of my mouth." I smile.

"NOT FUNNY." Yang shouts.

"Wait, what'd I say? I just said I'll keep him out of my- ohhhhh. I DIDN'T MEAN IT LIKE THAT YOU IDIOT." I look up at Yang who returns my stare. Seconds later the two of us burst out in laughter with Yang dropping to her knees and hiding her eyes against my lap while she tries to stop laughing. I swear, her dirty mind will get her into so much trouble one day. Although I guess it's her dirty mind that helped make me notice her . . . although it wasn't for good. If anything it only pointed out her more caring qualities.

"So what kind of place do you think we're going to? Better be nice and classy." Yang climbs onto the bed and lays on her side while I remain seated at the edge, forcing me to turn my head and gaze partially over my shoulder to find her eyes.

"Knowing Weiss it will most likely be the fanciest place in town. She'll want to show off to your father and uncle. If it were just us then she'd find somewhere a little less top-of-the-line to suit our comfort zones." I explain.

"Fair enough. Y'know, I wish Sebastian was here. I want to see what kind of areas they have for sparring." Yang grins and lays back stretch out, her shirt coming up and showing her stomach up until her belly button.

"I suppose we can call him." I say, but just then a smooth voice startles me from the other side.

"Did you summon me Miss Yang?" I turn my head to see him standing there near our dresser with a smile across his face. Immediately I look to the door to see that it is closed, leaving me in bewilderment at how he managed to get into the room unannounced and unsensed.

"Yeah, actually! Is there a sparring arena around here? Somewhere that won't burn down if I shoot it with my Ember Celica?" Yang asks without seeming one bit fazed by the fact that our privacy was invaded at the drop of a hat.

"There is. If you would kindly fetch your weapons I'll escort the two of you there immediately." He smiles to Yang and to me as well before walking out the door and closing it behind him and being confirmed by a loud click.

"So, Blake! Want to have a light sparring session?" Yang smiles and goes into the closet to search for her weapon.

"It's on the top shelf in the closet Yang. Careful you don't cut yourself. Gambol Shroud is up there too." I warn her and watch on as she reaches up to a wooden shelf within the closet. She carefully reaches around and I see one hand emerge from the closet with Gambol Shroud held firmly. Seconds later Ember Celica is also brought out, held tightly underneath Yang's arm.

I sigh and take Gambol Shroud from her, placing my weapon on my back and wrapping the ribbon that's tied to the hilt of my blade, around my arm until it is at my desired length and then secure it by making a tight bow knot.

Yang is quick to put her Ember Celica's on her forearms. She takes the time to expand them into their active form and cock each one to assure it's functioning well before walking towards the door with me close behind. As she opens the the door and walks out I make sure to close the door behind us, but leave it unlocked since neither one of us are bringing a room key along.

"Right this way, Miss Yang, Miss Blake." Sebastian leans off of a nearby wall and begins leading us down the hallway towards the stairwell we used earlier. We are brought down the spiral staircase to the first floor and are lead across the main lobby and the reflective black, marble floor. When we reach the other side of the hall we turn left and go down another long hallway until towards the very end of the hall we come to a large double door on the left that he slowly pushes open.

Throughout the entire walk I note that each hallway has a striking resemblance to each other with no relative difference in structure or color scheme. The carpets, walls, and doors are all the same color, although in this hallway there are far more lights along the walls than on the second floor hallway we are staying in.

As Yang and I follow into the room we are immediately impressed by the incredibly spacious environment. It's a large room with a dark material on the ground that seems similar to marble, but it is much easier to keep footing on it. It's almost like concrete with how I am capable of walking without bothering with balance. The room easily comes to close proximity with the sparring arena in Beacon, but only the actual sparring area itself and not the room used for seating. The ceiling is rather high, appearing to take up space up to the second floor. The walls are easily made out to be concrete when looking at the corners of the walls to see the small amounts of grey textures, but otherwise the walls are covered by giant blue padding to soften an impact should someone get sent flying.

"The floor is made of a treated marble. It was made uneven purposefully to break away the sleekness while still allowing for a stylish finish. The padding on the walls are also fire-proof, as is the ceiling . . . However, try not to knock each other into the ceiling too much . . . I'd prefer to not have to replace the lights that are embedded into them. It would be a terrible waste of time."

"Not a problem . . . I just won't uppercut her then." Yang says while giving me one of her smug looks.

"And I will avoid kneeing her to the roof." I counter with the same look.

Yang and I stand within a foot from each other. Our playful taunts turning into an intense, competitive stare between the two of us that is only broken when the forgotten third party speaks up.

"I'll be leaving then. If you two should require anything else. Please don't be afraid to call for me." When he is done speaking he gives us both a polite nod of his head and leaves the room. The heavy impact of the large double door closing echos throughout the room.

"Alright, Kittycat. How're we doing this?" Yang smiles at me and begins cracking her knuckles. That overly confident look of hers making me eager to show her that I've made many improvements since our last bout.

"How about . . . no weapons . . . Pit rules." I grin at Yang who returns my gaze with wide eyes and an expression of near shock.

"Blake . . . That's dangerous." Yang warns, but her warning falls on deaf ears.

"Your dad is a prestigious healer, right? I'm sure he'll be able to wake you up after the match is over." I taunt to her again, but this time she quirks an eyebrow at me.

"If you want to do it that way, fine . . . It'll be a good warm up to defend my undefeated streak when I get back to Vale."

Yang quickly takes off her compressed Ember Celica and walks over to the corner of the room closest to the double door to lay her weapons on the floor. I follow along so I can place my Gambol Shroud on the ground next to her weapon as well as the excess ribbon I have on my arm.

The two of us walk into the center of the large room and pass each other a smile, but it's more a smile that tells the other we have no intent on losing. A competitive smile that Yang manages to draw out of me at the drop of a hat. Yang beat me in our first match. It won't be the same this time.

"Alright, Kittycat." Yang begins and enters her trademark boxing stance while taking a few steps back from me. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

"Don't get too ahead of yourself, Yang. You may be the powerhouse of Team RWBY . . . but I'm the one with the most discipline and combat experience." I follow my words up by beginning to focus my aura. I can see the slight tint that is radiating off of me through Yang's eyes. She's remaining completely still and watching what I am doing. I do my best to maintain my focus while I carefully enter my Muay Thai stance without taking my eyes off of hers.

_It's not complete . . . But I'll definitely have it ready for the Free-For-All._

"Still relying on Muay Thai, Blake? It's not gonna work on me. I think I already proved that." Yang scoffs and shakes her head while she looks down at me and tries to observe what I am doing for the moment.

"Think what you want, Yang. My style is almost perfect." I taunt, but Yang catches onto one word in specific.

"Almost? That's pretty modest of you Blake . . . It's a shame my boxing is top notch." Yang's arrogance radiates with her words.

"When you're ready, Xiao Long."

"I was born ready, Kittycat."

The moment her sentence is done I nod my head and carefully advance towards her. The light being emitted from the visible aura surrounding me still present as I hold that exact charge. Yang possibly assumes that the surrounding aura is a simple bluff made by me since I haven't triggered my semblance and goes ahead to throw several quick jabs with her left hand while also stepping in to get me off balance.

I make sure she understands the purpose of that held aura when I raise an elbow up to block her punch and focus a decent portion of the concentrated aura into my elbow, making her fist bounce back, and by the gestures of her opening the fist and shaking it I assume the impact also gave her quite the pain in her knuckle.

"When did you learn to do that?" She asks while slowly entering her stance again, but doesn't make an advance.

"Focusing my aura for my semblance . . . turns out focusing it around body parts helps out too." I explain to her with a beyond smug look on my face. That's something I haven't had the chance to test out. Yang is my first chance to see if such a thing would prove effective and thankfully it has, but the time it takes to focus my aura to make it effective is not worth the effort unless I plan on using my semblance as well.

"Not bad . . . but I've seen you doing your aura practice . . .you can't focus it unless you're practically meditating." Yang is surprisingly spot on with her statement. Simply raising my elbow to block her strike almost broke my focus. If she were to start throwing combos then I will lose whatever aura I have built up. Thankfully my primary purpose for focusing my aura is for my semblance and not to practice this new technique I actually took after seeing Mr Qrow do it to one of Yang's punches, although he was able to focus it to a point where it didn't hurt Yang and only stopped the attack. When I think about it now, it is dangerously close to Weiss' glyphs, but of course her glyphs are far more effective and and easier to maintain while also having multiple uses.

Yang is quick to make her advance towards me time I notice her starting her combo with a low kick. Before the strike connects I active my semblance and take off into the air with as strong a jump that I can muster while also crouching. The result leaves me crouched in the air and allowing my doppelganger to run forward after being formed behind me and throw a low kick at Yang that makes her jump back in surprise. If she didn't step back it would have been an easy kick to her head for me. She probably realized her position and moved away to avoid it.

"Two of you . . . Not fair." Yang sighs with clear agitation as I land and stand to the right of my copy.

"For now." I clarify. I need to make sure my clone stays close to me. I'm not sure what my new range is for my semblance, but it can't have increased by much. The same issue works for durability. I haven't tested these two factors, so using it against Yang is risky, but if I work on my new technique just right, then the payoff will be worth it.

". . . Well . . . If you can do that . . ."

". . . No . . ."

"Oh come on! It'll be awesome."

"I said no."

"Please!?"

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING A THREESOME, YANG."

" . . . You suck"

After our quick exchange Yang runs back towards me, but her eyes turn immediately for my clone. I extend my right leg out to try kicking her, but her comes up immediately to guard the kick while she also throws her best punch to my clone.

Needless to say her telegraphed punch is easily sidestepped and a quick low kick to her right leg makes her retreat and rethink her strategy. My doppleganger shares my reflexes, although my combat ability is reduced thanks to my lack of aura from focusing so much into my semblance.

"The brighter the light, the darker the shadow." I say to her.

"What the hell does that mean?" Yang sighs, maintaining her boxing stance with a look of anger in her eyes. She doesn't seem to enjoy being on the losing end of things at all.

"My semblance creates shadow clones, Yang . . . The brighter the light, the darker the shadow. The stronger I am, the stronger my clone. We have the same strength. If I could see that punch a mile away there's no chance you are hitting my clone with it." I explain to her but leave out the fact that I can't fight at my best after using this advanced version of my semblance.

Yang gives me an unamused look and lunges in again to strike at me this time with a speed I was unaware she had. I Begin backtracking with her flurry of punches. Each one of her attacks accompanied by her either blocking or leaning in a direction to avoid my doppleganger that is doing its best to strike Yang, but the determined boxer flaunts her ability to bob and weave while only seeing the attacks through her peripheral vision.

Anytime Yang and I spar she has never been this fast, or rather she has never thrown so many punches in such a short amount of time. It makes me wonder if she's been holding back on me. I continue stepping back, moving my head to avoid jabs to the face, bringing my elbows close to my torso to guard from body shots, and every so often attempting to throw a low kick to catch her off guard but her quick advances make me pull back the kick before it's delivered so I can continue to backtrack.

It's not until I take a larger step backwards that Yang suddenly stops chasing me and instead ducks underneath my clone's next elbow. I watch in shock as she slides herself behind my clone with both arms wrapped tightly around the waist. The next thing I see from her is the last thing I would expect a boxer to do. Yang leans back, picking up my clone while she does so and slams it headfirst into the ground in a picture perfect german suplex. As quick as the move was delivered, Yang is back on her feet looking at the non-moving replica of myself while cracking her neck.

"Suplex City . . . Exit F5" Yang smirks at me and enters her boxing stance, thinking that my clone is done.

_You forget, Yang . . . They disappear when hit hard enough._

I grin, keeping my eyes on Yang, but paying close attention to the unfocused movement that is happening behind her. My doppelganger quietly gets up and sneaks behind Yang without so much as a sound.

"Sorry, Yang. I'm getting out an exit early." When my statement concludes my clone reaches underneath Yang's arms and hooks them while interlacing its fingers behind Yang's head. Keeping Yang's arms up and head tilted forward. She's in the exact position I want her to be in.

"What the fuck!? I sent you into Marble!"

"It may have caused head trauma to someone else, but my semblance focuses on durability when I focus my aura, Yang . . . It's a being made up of aura . . . not a person.

It pains me to say something like that. Calling an exact replica of myself non-faunus. It makes me feel like I am on the same-level of the extremist faunus haters, but that's just my mindset working against me.

I watch as Yang struggles against the tightened grip and decide to make my move before she has enough time to escape the grasp. My next combination will end this match. I'll make sure of it.

. . . I call it Shrouded Daggers


	11. Goldilocks and the Second Bear

_**Chapter 11 - Goldilocks and The Second Bear.**_

"I'm telling you it was a wind change!"

"It's not that big a deal, Ruby. You missed one shot." I look over my shoulder to the trailing crimsoness who continues to rant about her one missed shot after 29 consecutive bulls-eyes from well over 200 feet.

"It is a big deal! I never miss an idle target. NEVER." She rants on. Her voice getting louder, but her tone getting cuter the more she whines and complains.

"Alright, Ruby. The wind changed mid-shot and it made you miss your mark." I roll my eyes, answering in a non-caring sarcastic tone. We are already off the roof and on the first floor walking down one of the long hallways. According to Sebastian he lead Yang and Blake to the sparring room that I've used to practice against him with Myrtenaster. I have no doubt that it was Yang to ask for an area to spar. She's so restless and aggressive. I have no idea how Blake is able to keep Yang under control.

"That's exactly what it was! I had everything lined up perfectly! It's not my fault bullets can't avoid wind!" She continues to protest on our way down the hallway. Eventually we come to the large double door that I push open.

"Besides, if it were a Beowolf then it would've had its arm torn off! That shot was barely off!" Ruby's rant continues while she walks into the doorway with me and goes completely silent to the sight we are both amazed to see.

Yang is out cold. The confident, nearly indestructible heavy-hitter of team RWBY is in a dream-like state while her other half is kneeling with the blonde's head and hair on her lap. Blake raises her head and makes eye contact with the two of us and motions us closer.

At her gestured beckon the two of us walk over. Standing near Yang's feet just before Blake speaks up, but in a slightly hushed tone that is still able to echo throughout the room.

"I won." Blake says with her casual, monotone nature.

"That much is obvious." I answer.

". . . Is Yang okay?" Ruby's concern is noted with her slightly rushed words.

"Oh, she's fine. She's actually taking a nap. She wasn't out cold that long after our match." Blake explains and passes a look down to Yang to see if the brawler is still asleep before passing an idle hand through the golden mane.

"How long was she out, then? Just for knowledge's sake." I ask, curious as to how Yang - an undefeated fighter in the gruesome combat arena known as The Pit - was knocked out by Blake. That is by no means any offense to Blake's combat abilities, but last time those two sparred it ended up with Yang winning and Blake with a sprained ankle.

"Only about 5 seconds, but I told her we were done there. Last thing I want is to find out she has a mild concussion and I made her continue a spar."

"A mild concussion!? Blake! What did you do to her!?" Ruby shouts. Her loud, echoing voice enough to wake up her sleeping sister her expresses her disapproval with a mighty groan and a suck of her teeth.

"Why can't I ever get some shut eye when I want it?" Yang sighs and opens her eyes to the sight of both Ruby and I staring down at her. "Oh, hey you two."

I raise my left hand up to my face and use my index and middle fingers to pinch the bridge of my nose while exhaling into my nearby palm. I will never understand the mutual display of a non-caring attitude between the two of them. It's rather intimidating to say the least.

". . . Will you two care to go upstairs and get ready? The limo will be out front in a few minutes for us to leave." I release a loud sigh, trying to remember that this is my team before me and not _him._

"It's still pretty early to be leaving. Isn't it, Weiss?" Blake looks at me with confusion. It is daylight out, and as usual Blake is too observant for me to slip anything by.

"I figured you'd all want to have a look at Atlas. I doubt being locked up in here for the next few days is anything to enjoy by itself. Atlas is a great place . . . the people in the city are wonderful." I add the last part with a hesitant pause. Several thoughts of my more social past emerge and fill me with a strong sense of nostalgia. Back before I had anything expected of me as an heiress and was free to socialize as I wanted . . . with an escort nearby of course.

"Did Weiss just . . . say something nice about people!?" Yang sits up in a startle, mocking my lack of praise for the basic person as if I should be giving praise to any and all who show effort but lack results.

"I did. Mind you that is the last time I will." I shake my head. Just before I can add more to it there is a gentle touch to my left hip. I make a quick turn of my head to see several fingers and when I turn to my right I make note of Ruby's arm hidden behind my back along with Ruby giving me one of her brightening smiles. Something I can never seem to look at and not want to smile myself, even if it is just a slight grin.

"Do we need to get all dressed up?" Ruby asks me. I know she hates to dress up. Her attitude towards dress shopping for the prom was proof of that, meaning that she is just trying to change the topic for my sake.

"No, and I'd prefer if only Yang and myself were to carry our weapons." The odd request earns 6 eyes to lock onto me. The several moments of silence that follow are eventually broken up by Blake who utters only one word.

". . . Why?"

"Just for impressions sake, and to avoid carrying anything like that into a restaurant. Myrtenaster has always been on my hip. People seeing me without it is highly irregular. Yang's Ember Celica are barely noticeable in their passive form, otherwise I'd ask her to not bring hers as well. It's her choice, honestly. I just can't force her with that reasoning . . ." I pause a moment, repeating what I just said in my head and make haste to correct myself, "I can't force any of you, at that. It's just a request."

"Can we keep them in the limo?" Ruby's voice makes me turn my head to look at her and meet the infamous puppy stare I have become far too familiar with over the past few months. Thinking on it now, it is nearly impossible to separate Ruby from her Crescent Rose. Making the request for only Blake to not bring hers would be highly unreasonable, and while this is just to avoid bringing any highly visible weaponry to the more etiquette dictated district of Atlas, Ruby's suggestion is very agreeable to.

"That's fine. It's more reasonable, I guess."

My response earns a few nods from Blake who stands up and offers her hand to help up Yang. The two of them walk towards the corner of the room and pick up their respective weapons that I hadn't noticed earlier.

"So, where are we going? You always have things organized." Ruby's curiosity finally peaks now that her sister and Blake are both out of earshot. I was expecting her curiosity to peak a lot quicker and have a more hyperactive effect, but it seems Ruby is either much calmer or is trying her best to mask her excitement.

"Well. There's a large mall sitting near the restaurant I want to take you all to. Plus, this will be the first time I would have stepped into the city in a while. Before I went to Beacon all I ever did was learn about my grandfather's company, my other studies, and how to wield Myrtenaster." My explanation to Ruby concludes itself just before Yang and Blake make it back to join us.

"Alright! All set!" Yang announces in her usual loud and hearty voice. I lean to the side a little, unable to move much thanks to Ruby's arm holding me close. With what little lean I am able to do I see that Yang's hair is slightly tangled, but decide to not make note of it otherwise we may end up staying here for another hour for Yang to comb out her golden lockes.

"I need to go get Myrtenaster. I'll walk you all to the lobby and head upstairs."

With that said, the four of us leave the sparring room and make a right turn to head down the long hallway, bypassing a perpendicular hallway on the right side along the way until we eventually come into the opening into the large lobby and elevated ceiling that makes up the entryway to Schnee Manor.

"I'll be right back." I reassure the three of them while I go up the main stairs and turn left to go up the perpendicular set to arrive on the second floor. By habit I've always began my ascent by going up the main stairs instead of using the spiral staircase that I will end up using now anyway to get to the bedrooms.

Straight ahead of me is that exact door that I push open and begin my climb up to the fourth floor with the help of the golden banister on the inside part of the swirling stairs. The entire time I wonder exactly how the evening should progress should everything go alright. The restaurant is planned. It's not the most elegant place, but the food is very acceptable and the menu is something that can cater to everyone in my team. Mr Xiao Long, Mr Qrow, and Shun relayed to me through Sebastian that they have no interest in going. Mr Qrow because he is working on a project for Ruby. Shun because she claims if she hears a faunus comment and the threat of Mr Qrow over her shoulder not being around will easily let her take matters into her own hands, and Mr Xiao Long claimed he did not wish to go for reasons he wished to keep to himself.

I push my way out of the stairwell after getting to the fourth floor and immediately turn right to head down the long hallway. The entire time my eyes are locked onto the door at the far end with my emblem displayed on the top. I push my way into the room and look ahead of me to the bed as well as passed it to the layered stand of teddybears I have. From the door I can easily spot Myrtenaster leaning against the wall between the bed and stand. I walk around my bed to fetch my weapon and place it on my left hip. My room is one of the larger ones in the house, and the only one with the walls painted with two solid coats to assure the designs do not fade or get painted over.

I nod to myself and turn to make my way back around my bed, but as I near the foot of my bed I catch a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. The first thing I note is my side ponytail. I've gotten so used to seeing myself in twintails that I can hardly recognize myself without them.

_I won't wear twintails in Atlas, but I guess I can wear my hair down for her._

I sigh in defeat to my own weakness for making Ruby happy. What was supposed to be a quick trip for Myrtenaster now turns into me taking a seat at my large dresser and grasping the comb that sits right in the center. I have anything that I would need on my dresser or in one of its drawers. All the way from cosmetics to different brushes to assure my hair gets parted correctly, and top of the line curlers for the extremely rare occasion I want my hair to have a special flare to it.

"Need help?"

My eyes widen at the familiar voice and my head turns to the right to gaze at the doorway with Blake standing in it with her friendly grin plastered on her face. I don't get a chance to respond before she begins stepping in and snatches the comb from me in one of her assertive manners that shows a slight lack in consideration, but also a caring attitude that can be compared to Yang's tough and motherly affections towards Ruby.

"Didn't I ask you all to wait at the limo?"

My question comes out far more hostile than it how it sounded it in my head. Thankfully when I gaze up at the mirror I can't see any signs of offense taken on Blake's behalf. Instead she undoes my side ponytail and begins to comb out my hair.

"Don't try too hard. There's not a mask in this world that we won't see through." Blake's amber eyes meet mine through the mirror. I'm not entirely sure what she is trying to say and my returned glare portrays that lack of knowledge well enough for her to continue. "Acting confident and in-control won't make us not see that you're stressed and worried."

I nod my head and listen to Blake while she takes her time combing out my hair until every last tangle that I feel the teeth of the comb tug on are no longer felt anywhere. Blake is probably the last person I would expect to follow me upstairs just to relay a simple message, yet she is also the person I would prefer it from the most since she has a way of getting words across with her calm attitude.

"It's not that easy. My father will be home in within the next 48 hours. Needless to say I don't get along with him for several reasons. I rather not go down the list right now." I sigh and take a long, deep breath to calm my nerves.

"Twintails?"

"No, I'm keeping it down."

"Alright. Anyway, you don't need to deal with him alone. You have Yang, Ruby, me, Mister Qrow, Mr Tai, and believe it or not, Shun too." Blake smiles at me through the mirror while she leans over my shoulder and starts to carefully comb out my bangs to make sure it hangs carefully above my right eye without covering it and to assure that the spot where it parts over my left eye is clear. After dealing with Yang's hair I am not surprised to see Blake is very capable of helping me in a timely fashion.

While Blake fixes my bangs we are both completely silent. When she is done she puts the comb down on the table and leans off of my shoulder so I can stand up and turn myself to see how my hair looks from the side and partially from the back.

"Thanks, Blake." I say to her while we both leave my room and begin heading to the stairwell.

"Yang's is a much harder challenge." She answers back to me with a brief chuckle.

"I meant that for what you said. Was it that obvious?"

"I noticed it before we left Patch. You've been somewhat okay while we've been here . . . but you went back to being all super formal and somewhat robotic with your organization. You need to remember that we're here. Especially Ruby."

". . . I know." I nod my head to Blake as we continue our way down the hallway and then down the stairwell until we make it back to the main lobby. The two of us exit through the front door to see the same long, white stretch limo waiting in front of the walkway with the door open with Ruby and Yang sitting inside, but within view.

"Took you long enough, Ice Queen!" Yang shouts from inside the limo. At the moment Ruby is the one sitting closest to the open door and Yang is on the other side with her back against the wall, making herself comfortable with her arms spread apart on the top of the seats.

"Weiss! You put your hair down!"

_Of course Ruby would notice it immediately. It amazes me just how observant she is. At least when it comes to me._

"I wanted to go with something besides my side ponytail or my twintails." I explain, gesturing Blake to slide into the limo. After she climbs in and gets herself comfortable next Yang I do the same and close the door behind me, not needing to wait long before Ruby has her head laying on my shoulder and my left arm held tightly in her grasp.

"So, where exactly are we going?" Yang is the first to ask about our destination after the limo begins to U-turn to exit the main gate and begin the trip towards the more populated section of Atlas.

'You'll see. There's something there for each of you to enjoy. There's a weapons museum for Ruby. One of the largest bookstores for Blake, and I believe there is a shopping center close to the restaurant that has clothing that will fit your style well, Yang."

Everyone appears to be satisfied with my answer and explanation of what will be going on but for some reason I feel the need to add something just for the sake of giving out information.

"The restaurant is near some club I hear is everything you could ask for. That may be somewhere Yang would want to check out for the fun of it." I give a shrug of my shoulders. Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it, but knowing Yang's eye she would have seen it the moment we arrived and asked about it. "If I recall correctly it's ran by someone named Jiù Xióng."

"Xiong?" Yang's interest immediately peaks at the mention of that name.

"Yes. You know that name?" I look over to the blonde brawler who is hold Blake by the hip, practically crushing the small faunus against her side but without any complaints from Blake who has her head on Yang's shoulder, similar to how Ruby has her head on mine.

"I do. Someone in Vale has that name, but he goes by a different name." Yang smiles to herself and reaches into her pocket to pull out her scroll and open up an image. From my angle all I can make out is a figure with long, black hair but nothing else is sharp enough for me to make sense of. As Yang closes her scroll and places it back into her pocket I see that confident grin of hers appear before she utters her next words.

". . . Everyone calls him Junior."

* * *

I'm sure people know what's gonna happen . . . Then again I'm unpredictable :P


	12. An Arranged Moshpit

_**Hey Guys! Here's the upload for today! I uploaded early because well . . . I'm actually going to be heading to Texas for RTX today (WOO!). It will be my first time going to any form of event like this, Hell. Even my first time out of state in a while.**_

_**Let's hope everything goes smoothly, and who knows xD I may pass by one of you over there!**_

_**Now, the chapter: Two situations happen here that you may want to tally up.**_

_**Blake follows Yang into a stupid situation, and the R&amp;W of the team are now out of sight and out of mind (At least in this chapter).**_

_**There is a method to my madness . . . prepare for randomness :3**_

* * *

**Chapter 12 - An Arranged Moshpit**

_Xiong . . . That has to be family of Junior's. I'm sure I can find answers about my mom from them. Dad said he met my mom at a club and she always had a love for dancing and drinking. There's no way she could visit kingdom capitals and not go to a club._

Thanks to Weiss' information of the nearby club I may have a new lead to find my mom. Vale was one of my more 'high profile' attempts at getting information thanks to the brawl with the Malachite twins.

"Yang? . . . Yan~g? YANG XIAO LONG!" I jump when my name bursts through my ear drum. The loud voice makes me jump and turn left to see Blake giving me one of her squinted glares that portrays her annoyance. She must've been calling me for a while and I spaced out too much to realize it.

"Yeah?" I answer as casually as I can to act like I wasn't affected by her eardrum rattling yell.

"Seriously? Weiss was asking if you want to get dropped off at that club with me while she takes Ruby to the weapon's exhibit on the other side of town. When they're done there they will call us and meet us across the street at the restaurant we'll be eating at." Blake puts me up to speed on the conversation that happened while I was spaced out, and the setup is almost TOO perfect. Almost.

"You don't want to go with them, Blake?" I look to my partner with a smile on my face. If Blake comes with me I may need to explain the real appeal the club has for me. On top of that if things go south like in Vale I don't want to drag her into a fight.

"Yang, someone has to look after you. Besides," I can feel Blake's fingers dragging along until leather seat of the limo and drift up the side of my ass to go around my lower back and hold me from the other side. Without another word Blake lays her head on my shoulder and closes her eyes, leaving me feeling obligated to wrap an arm around her waist and hold her against me. The sweet and silent moment makes me forget we are in a limo with my sister and Weiss until Weiss speaks up.

"If that's the case then we'll drop you two off and keep going. When Sebastian is done he'll be waiting in front of the club for when the two of you leave. Since Ruby and I are going to a weapons museum . . . we probably won't be out for a while." Weiss sighs and follows it with a smile while draping an arm over my sister's shoulder.

It's odd. Seeing Weiss near my sis would always make me burn, and my fists clench. I still have a bone to pick with Weiss. I've avoided mentioning or thinking about it, but I can't forget. It's burned into my mind:

* * *

_**(Flashback)**_

"Want something to munch on? Some milk? Oh! Extra blanket?" My mouth keeps going, just searching for words to keep some form of conversation going. I'm elated. I feel so complete and I don't want this feeling to leave.

"Yang . . . relax." A shiver erupts through my spine when she presses her chest to my back. Her skin is so soft, her voice so calm with this slightly husky tone that makes my knees buckle when she whispers in my ear.

I gaze over my shoulder and smile when I see the firm amber eyes of my partner. Her arms slide around my stomach, tracing over my midsection and following the defined grooves that make up my growing six-pack.

"S-sorry." I stutter and try to calm down to absorb everything that's happened tonight.

"You're fine, Yang. How about we go to your room and watch something together?" She continues to trail her fingers over my abdomen and most likely enjoying the shivers my body lets off. We both already dried ourselves and are pretty much dressed for the house since Uncle Qrow and Dad aren't here.

Aside from being topless we both have on a pair of panties, but I gave Blake my shorts to wear so she doesn't feel uncomfortable leaving the bathroom while exposed. I could care less how I look in my home, so obviously I am more than willing to give her the shorts I have and leave her more decently covered.

"Sure." I smile towards her but feel a slight disappointment when her fingers drift away from me so she can turn around and get her yukata on to cover her chest before we grab our dirty clothes and carry them out of the bathroom.

I gently tug the door open, step aside to let Blake leave first and follow behind her without much of a word. It's not until she goes into my room and I look down the hallway towards Ruby's room that I freeze in place.

_That's not a . . . _

I squint my eyes, trying to make out what's going on in the darkness. There's something tied to the doorknob, and it looks like a

_. . . Red shoelace._

Immediately my mind bounces towards what a red knot on a doorknob stands for. Those two came upstairs and aside from Ruby appearing in the bathroom for a split second there has been complete silence from the duo. If anything that explains why Ruby came into the bathroom when there weren't any crumbs or chocolate stains of any sort on her from what I could see, although there was a little bit of fog on the curtain. I do recall her holding up her hand the whole time, I thought she spilled fruit punch or something.

Looking at that same scene in my head now makes me cringe and my blood boil. I ignore the clothes in my hand and dump them at my feet while I start to walk down the hall towards the door.

"Yang?" I can hear Blake question me from over my shoulder but I continue to walk. It's not until I'm halfway there that she reaches out to grasp my shoulder and practically yank me backwards until I fall onto my butt with her falling as well but takes advantage of the situation to wrap her legs around my torso and her arms around my shoulders.

"Blake! Let me go!" I hiss out with clear anger dripping from my words.

"Yang, stop it! Leave them alone!" Blake's words make me snap back to earlier the same day and recall uncle Qrow's exact words:

"_Yang, I think it may be best to let those two do as they wish."_

I promised him I would. Of all the people I agree to I had to make the mistake of agreeing to Uncle Qrow. He's never broken a promise to me, and out of that courtesy I've always done my best to keep the promises I make with him.

". . . That's easier said than done, Blake." I whisper in hopes that Blake will play the angel over my shoulder and calm me down.

"Yang . . . if you can get mad after what we just did . . . then I'm scared to know just how much you care."

Her words make me freeze. Trying to calm me down or not, that's something that just cut deep into me. I slowly look over my shoulder to Blake who answers my shocked glare with the firm stare that she is so well known for.

". . . Tonight was perfect, Yang. Let's keep it that way. Ruby's in good hands and you know it. She won't be your baby sister forever."

* * *

**(Present)**

Since then I've come to terms with it, but it still eats away at me. I need to get how I feel off my chest sooner or later in a non-hostile way. I could always talk to Ruby about it, but it may be a little awkward. Thinking about it now, it may be the better decision.

"Hey, Rubes." I speak up, causing my sister to look my way with those sweet silver eyes of hers.

"Yeah?"

"Can we talk a little later? Maybe tonight?" I give Ruby a smile to let her know it isn't anything bad. My assurance earns a quick nod of her head and no questioning from either Weiss or Blake of what the conversation pertains to. There are both better than me in that regard. My curiosity would have peaked instantly.

"Well," Weiss pauses to gaze through the limo's window. Not long after the vehicle comes to a complete stop and Sebastian is there to open the door next to Weiss to let the heiress out who then beckons me and Blake to follow. It's not until the two of us climb out that Weiss gestures over the limo and across the street to the large club. "That's the place . . . Don't cause too much trouble, Yang. Please?"

"I'll keep it to a minimal, Weiss. Not a problem." I answer and give off a confident smirk that gives Weiss a small amount of reassurance. Enough for her to nod her head and climb back into the limo to join Ruby before the door is closed and Sebastian gives the two of us a silent nod prior to returning to the driver's seat and driving off.

"Alright, Yang. Spill it." Blake gives me her no bullshit stare and gestures across the street to the club. "What are we here for?"

". . . Was it that easy to tell?" I sigh and give Blake a smile.

"The moment you offered to go alone. Since we've been together you've glued yourself to me. That gave it away." Blake gives me another smile while the two of us cross the street. From what I can see, Atlas lives up to its reputation as an industrial city. To the left and right are very organized sidewalks and roadways paved to perfection. The several tall buildings around the area somewhat mesh together in a tanish or silverish mesh of material that blends everything together in an odd way that works too well. Some of the nearby buildings I can't tell if they are offices to some bigshot company or an apartment complex. Everything looks almost the same, but that's coming from an outsider's perspective.

The two of us walk to the front of The Club; the same name as the one in Vale which leads me to believe that it is a family business of some sort. I expect a hassle from the bouncer when we step onto the red carpet and approach the double doors but he turns his head the other way and pretends he doesn't see us walking by him to get inside.

"What was that about?" I ask after we walk by him and into the mildly occupied club. The flashing lights, blinking dancefloor and blaring music is far too familiar to the Vale counterpart. In fact, the setup is practically the exact same except the bar is much larger to fit more people, and along the far left corner of the club is a doorway that isn't included in Junior's club.

"He probably saw us get out of the limo. Don't forget, the SDC practically owns Atlas. Weiss is her own Jailbreak card," Blake explains to me. "Now, why are we here?"

". . . To put a long story short . . . I want to see if anyone here has seen my mom." The moment I explain myself to Blake I speed up my walking pace but not by much to the point that it looks like I'm avoiding the subject.

"Yang, how is some club owner going to know about your mom?"

"Dad met my mom in a club. He said she knew how to hold her liquor better than any man he ever met. She loved to drink and dance and just show off in an atmosphere like this. Dad says she's the one I get my personality from." I can't help but to giggle at my own words. It's a little odd to know there is someone who has moves just as good as me and can handle a drink or two. Even if it is my own mother.

"Alright . . . I guess we'll get two drinks and I'll wait at the bar for you. Don't cause a commotion . . . I don't have Gambol Shroud."

_Crap . . . I forgot about that._

"No problem Kittycat." I smile to Blake while the two of us proceed along the edge of the dance floor to go to the bar that is nearby on the left. There's only a handful of people at the bar, leaving an excessive amount of seats available.

The two of us pull up to two seats near the center of the bar and wait patiently for the barkeep who comes by in seconds. He's just slightly shorter than Blake with blue eyes, brown hair, a well trimmed moustache and for an outfit he's wearing the stereotypical barkeep outfit: a white dress shirt with a black vest resting on top.

"What can I get you two?" He smiles at us. By his looks and voice I can tell he's pretty young. Probably low to mid twenties if anything.

"Strawberry Sunrise, no ice. Oh, and one of those little umbrellas." I answer before he turns to Blake.

"And for you?"

"White Atlesian, no ice, no vodka . . . hold the Kahlua." Blake's smooth tone and almost flirtatious smile she offers after making her order sends a shiver through my spine. It's not something I've seen from her before. I look over to the barkeep who seems unphased and turns around to make the drinks.

"Blake . . . are you okay?" I ask with slight concern.

"I know what I'm doing, Yang. Watch." She looks at me out the corner of her eye and smiles just slightly enough for me to notice.

When the barkeep comes back he puts the drink down in front of me and drops the umbrella into the glass.

"Strawberry Sunrise for you, and,"

He puts down the glass filled with a white liquid. Blake asked him to hold the ice, vodka and Kahlua . . . If I know my drinks correctly that means what she has is pretty much-

"Milk for the raven haired beauty, on the house. Both drinks of course."

"Thanks." Blake says before grasping the glass and taking a sip. When she puts the cup down I cover my mouth to giggle from the clearly visible line of milk over her lip.

"What's so funny, Yang?" Blake turns her head, but not before taking a second sip that thickens the milk moustache.

"You have a little," I begin to gesture above my upper lip, "milk right about here."

I almost regret bringing it up to Blake's attention. After I say that she shrugs her shoulders to me without breaking eye contact and makes quick work of cleaning off the milk. The regret from my end is the way she does it on top of not breaking eye contact. Blake stuck her tongue out from the corner of her mouth and with one semi-swift swipe of her tongue managed to get every last drop off of her upper lip. That simple motion causes my legs to tense and shoulder to spasm with an accompanying shiver. It's a result that would never happen to me if it were anybody but Blake and she knows it too.

"So," the barkeep cuts in, "what brings two new faces to The Club?"

"Spending a few days in Atlas with a friend. I'm guessing you know all the faces that come here?" Blake questions. Right now she's being very discreet in helping me out. I'm guessing she's trying to find out if the barkeep is worth questioning about my mother.

"For the most part. I've only been working here just shy of two years." He answers. Two years is a wide enough span to ask. After all, Dad saw her only four days ago.

"Think you could help my friend out, then? We're trying to find a distant relative of hers. The only real thing they have in common is a love for clubbing." While Blake is questioning him I take out my scroll and pull up a picture of my mom before holding it for the barkeep to see.

". . . Well, you two do look alike." He says to me, "Can't say I remember . . . You may be better off asking Jiu. He runs the place. Hey Boss!"

The barkeep turns to his left and gives a wave down towards a man seated at the very last stool of the bar. From a glance I can almost mistake him for Junior but he is slightly more built, taller, and has an a few grey hairs that show his age. In his right hand is a very thin cane with a crisp dust crystal sitting on top that he uses to hold the walking stick. He takes his time sliding off of the stool, flaunting his black suit and white dress shirt while he walks over towards us.

"These gals are looking for a relative of hers." The barkeep explains while gesturing towards me. "I thought you'd be able to help."

"I see . . . and what's your name, Sweetheart?" Jiu smiles down at me.

_Dejavu . . . _

I slowly slide up from my seat and smile at him.

"I have a few, but Instead of 'sweetheart,' you can just call me 'sir'!"

I send my right hand out for the same grasp I did on Junior, but before I can move my arm halfway it is stopped by the cane. I then watch as the cane is sent between my arm and hip at lightning speed before being tweaked to lock my arm in a makeshift chickenwing.

"My guard isn't as lenient as my son, Ms Xiao Long." He gives me a firm look and applies slight pressure to his cane to make my arm bend even more uncomfortably. "Please, Miss . . . I won't hurt your friend. This is just a precaution." He leans slightly to the side to talk to Blake who possibly started to stand when my arm was trapped.

"Loosen it." I can hear Blake demand from over my shoulder.

"You're in no position to make demands. You see this dust crystal on the top of my cane? It's hollow. Inside it is a button . . . when I press that button there will be Atlesian Knights in this room instantly. A top of the line unmanned disciplinary squad. They're not something to trifle with in large numbers. But." He loosens his grip enough for Blake to see and for me to feel a relief in pain on my right shoulder. "I'll comply."

"Thank you." Blake whispers.

"Anyway . . . the photo." At his request I slowly lift my left hand up to show the image on my scroll. ". . . Two weeks ago. She came in searching for someone and left after her questions were answered."

"Do you know where she went!?" I shout, more in a pleading tone than a demanding one.

"Not in the slightest, and I don't remember who she asked about." While Jiu answers me he also lets go of my arm with his cane and places it back on the floor. "On a side note . . . your next Pit appearance will be this month, right?"

_Of course . . . I can't be discreet when I'm broadcasted to all the Kingdoms._

"That's what I was told. Big fan of The Pit?" I ask and seat myself. If what he said was true about the Atlesian Knights then me causing a bigger commotion will end in a firefight that Blake may not be able to defend herself in.

"It's entertaining, but I'm more interested in you. I have a proposition for you. It can even extend to your friend if need be. The pay will be quite excessive as well." He takes a seat next to me and smiles.

"I'm not a whore." I quickly retort before he can continue, but my response only makes him let out a hearty laugh.

"Good. I want you to work security here tonight. 10,000 lien for the evening. If your friend wants in I'll make it 15,000 total. Given she can fight as well as you."

It's an odd proposition, but the fact that he wants to know if Blake can fight peaks my interest on what he's after.

"What's the pitch already."

"You're a big shot in The Pit. Most of Atlas knows your name. If I put outside that The Blonde Brawler is here . . . well, business will come pouring in. As well as people who think they can beat you. Of course, there will be a fight purse for whoever wants to go against you . . . as well as any bets being made. You'll take 10% of those on top of the flat payment for the night. Your friend here can join in on the fun as a sort of 'preliminary' to get to you if you're already occupied. Of course she'll have bets made on too."

_Well . . . this may be good training, but Blake is still weaponless._

"I think we'll both enjoy the competition." Blake blurts out from over my shoulder before I can even respond.

"But Blake! You don't have-"

"Sebastian is coming back, remember?"

_She's right._

"Are you sure you're up for it?" I ask her. I can't stop her if she wants to join in. I was already planning on accepting the offer for myself.

"We need the training to begin with. Sparring is always the best method." Blake's arguments are as solid as ever. It's almost annoying that I can't debate with her and be on the winning side.

"Then it's settled! I'll have a banner up in the next half hour."

With that said Jiu Xiong disappears through the doorway I noticed when we first entered the club. An evening with dinner just turned into an oncoming battle royal in a matter of seconds. This may not be good but the pay is too tempting to refuse. I may be able to get that gift for Blake I want for her that I saw it in Vale a while back.


	13. Untouchable

_Okay guys. RTX this year was AMAZING. Unfortunately I was not able to make it to the RWBY panel . . . Sorry I failed you :'(_

_However, I had three friends who DID make it to the panel and showed me some amazing art on Winter Schnee. You can bet your asses she will be making her appearance in my fic damn soon. I'm also happy that Qrow somewhat fits the physical features I thought of for him. My fic can still survive for now, all I need now is a confirmed Taiyang with purple eyes and blonde hair. Cross your fingers for me!_

_Also, the RWBY wiki has been updated with the new Team ABRN (Auburn) who look amazing as fuck._

_I DID make it to the RWBY after buzz and had a question I never got to ask..I was like 3 people away from asking it too, so I'll drop the info here and see what you guys think._

_So, we all know that Pyrrha is based off of Achilles. We also know that her semblance lets her control poles among other things. In the mythology of it all, Achilles is essentially beaten by an arrow because it was the only thing that wasn't touched by water (The whole mystic water thing I don't know the full details of). Anyway, Cinder Fall has taken an interest in Pyrrha. Cinder is also the only character to have been seen using a bow so far. Also, her bow doesn't have any metal in it, as well as her arrows; they're all made of dust! My question was going to be: Do you think Cinder will be the biggest threat for Pyrrha in season 3?_

* * *

_**Chapter 13 –Untouchable: Item and Team**_

"Oh my god, Weiss! Look at this!"

Ruby's been like this since the moment we arrived. Every weapon ever developed has been placed on display here. If it is the original weapon or a replica I am made known about it right away. I knew Ruby would be excited to go to a museum dedicated to the one thing she is most passionate about, but she is moving from display to display at such a rapid pace. Normally that would mean we are making excellent time through the museum, but after she gets over the initial excitement and shock of being in one exhibit she will go back and take her time looking at each of the weapons in closer detail.

"Look Weiss! This is what Myrtenaster is based off of. It used to use dust as gun powder. It's pretty primal to the one you use now." I walk over to Ruby to take a look at the weapon she is currently viewing. The room we are currently in is very large with a high ceiling. The carpet below us is a mixture of black, brown, and tan that mesh together to look like a single unique color from afar. Many of the display cases are ebbed into the walls and covered by a nearly indestructible glass. Each weapon is set over a special plate that keeps the weapon hanging in the air and rotating to avoid any contact with other objects as well as allowing a full 360 degree view.

The weapon Ruby is looking at is a rapier just like Myrtenaster although it still has the silver color of metal all around and the blade is thicker near the hilt. Near the base and just above the handle where I would fill the containers with dust is instead a form of chamber for crisp dust shards. I stand next to Ruby to read the plaque underneath the display glass and learn that somewhere in the middle of the blade is where it will slide out of the way to reveal a large barrel that the shards would be shot out of. The problem with the weapon is that it only uses very sharp crystals and was unable to have any versatility. Since then there have been so many advances and new usages for dust that a limited weapon like that became obsolete in a heartbeat. It doesn't surprise me.

"That's rather interesting." I admit prior to looking to my right and seeing that Ruby is not even next to me anymore.

Of course.

I look around the empty room to see that Ruby is behind me observing another weapon. The museum was or rather IS closed for today since it is a weekend, but considering that my family practically runs Atlas I knew it would be no problem at all to get access since there are always managers and security near the main hall. The moment one of the employees recognized me standing at the door I was allowed in at that instant with Ruby at my side. I don't like abusing my status as the heir to the Schnee Dust Company but there are certainly several perks I can use to let Ruby enjoy herself. A museum all to herself are one of those privileges.

"And what's this one?" I ask to my girlfriend when I step next to her. She jumps at how close I am when I speak and quickly looks back ahead of herself to the large blade.

"It's a claymore, but along the edges are small protrusions that let small sparks of dust get emitted to create a wave of energy depending on what type of dust is placed in the center. It makes it ideal for short range and long range. It can be super deadly if you cut someone and then follow up with the beam."

I nod my head to Ruby's explanation. I decide to step in front of her so I can see the plaque and read the name of the weapon.

Bloodskaal Blade.

"How deadly is that beam? Do you know?" I ask, starting to pick up a curiosity for these weapons.

"Well, the closer you are the more it'll hurt, and it also depends on the strength of the swing since the beam follows the same speed as the sword's swing. On top of that you can do more damage depending on the kind of dust, obviously."

"Sounds diverse. There has to be a weakness however." I comment. It doesn't take long for Ruby to look at me with beaming eyes as I show interest in her passion. That twinkling gaze reminds me of a child in a candy store.

"Of course! Since there are protrusions in the blade it's not as sharp as an actual claymore. It relies on dust to do the real damage. Plus, there could be modifications made so it can use different types of dust or use multiple types of dust at the same time." Ruby continues to go on and on about every pro and con about this 'Bloodskaal Blade'. She gets so into her explanation that when she is done I look at my scroll to see that over a half hour has passed.

"I see . . . well, let's go to the other exhibits so you can see some of the more modern weapons." I suggest.

"Lead the way, Princess!" Ruby shouts out with a bright smile. The loud echo that follows her calling me by my nickname brings a blush to my lips that she takes note of immediately.

"St-stop it, Ruby. They may hear you." I whisper, but the expression on my face seems to motivate her to continue.

"But you're a princess. Well, actually you're my Princess." Ruby grins. This time I turn away from her and begin to walk towards the next room to continue our progress through the museum. It's not until I push the large glass doors that have a wooden frame with glass murals adding to the décor of the room. Through the door is a long hallway that extends for a while in either direction. Every few meters are doors on either side that lead to exhibits of different timeframes and themes with weapons to match. Directly in front of me is the next exhibit with the same double doors as the ones the exhibit I just exited.

"Prin…cess." Ruby's voice echoes in my ear while I am standing in the middle of the hallway. I freeze mid-step and look over my shoulder at the smiling brunette. She knows she's teasing me with that yet continues to do so only because of the facial expressions she is drawing out of me. If I want her to stop I'll need to stop getting so easily flustered. It's a simple thing to do, at least it should be.

"Ruby, stop it." I whip at her with a mix of slight hostility and clear annoyance before I continue to walk towards the next exhibit on the other side of the hallway.

Just as I am placing my hands on the door to go inside I feel her arms slide around my waist and pull me towards her in one of her torso-clenching hugs. I make my protests known with sways of my hips in an attempt to build room between the two of us, on top of grasping her hands and attempting to pry her fingers apart to get her grip off of me.

"Weiss, you don't need to get so tense . . . We can always go somewhere else if you're not enjoying yourself." Ruby concludes her sentence by bumping her nose to the back of my neck.

It's not that Ruby . . . it's just . . . UGH.

"I am enjoying myself. I know how much you enjoy seeing new weapons - or old ones as the case may be - and I enjoy learning about them as well. It's more enjoyable than I thought. I'm just- I don't want you getting caught up in news broadcasts, interviews, and all the other things that I need to deal with just because of the mere suspicion that we are a couple. You don't deserve to be exposed to all that." That's the best way I can word it for now and hopefully Ruby understands what I'm trying to say.

"Weiss, I don't care about all that." Ruby lets go of my waist to push the door in front of me open and ushers me in while she follows closely behind. "I don't care about the media, who sees us, what people think of me . . . none of it bothers me. If it makes you feel that uncomfortable though, I'll stop."

Great Weiss. You just hurt your girlfriend's feelings. You're doing wonderfully.

"It doesn't make me uncomfortable." I take a deep breath and turn around to wrap my arms around Ruby. She lays her head on my shoulder and releases a loud exhale that I am unsure if it is from content or depression.

"You're sure? Absolutely sure?" Ruby pulls away from me and looks at me with that puppy stare of hers that manages to break through my guard each and every time without fail.

"I'm completely sure, Ruby. I've said it before: I'm not ashamed of you, or of my relationship with you." While I am talking I place my hands against hers until our fingers and palms are a completely lined up. At that point I slide my fingers just slightly to interlace and lock our hands together. Ruby has always made me the happiest person and I won't let her think otherwise. I won't accept her doubting how much I care. I won't let anybody doubt how much I care about her.

After a short stare between the two of us with Ruby testing my gaze for any signs of doubt in my eyes her worried face soon changes to the carefree, happy appearance I am used to seeing from her. Seeing her smile like this always makes me smile. From the start of our trip up until now she has been the carefree, elated Ruby I've fallen for throughout my time in Beacon. It's how she is and I don't want that to change about her no matter what.

"Does that mean I can have one? Please?"

"I gave you plenty in the limo!"

"But Weiss!"

Damnit she's gonna do it.

Sure enough the inevitable happens and I am frozen in place by Ruby's puppy face. She knows just how to get what she wants from me. I'll make sure I get her back in some way, shape or form, no matter what.

"Ugh, Dolt! Fine." I finally cave in with a roll of my eyes. It's not good to know that Ruby can manipulate me so easily without much effort from her part aside from moving her lips to form that childish pouty face along with her adorable puppy stare. It's no wonder it still works on Yang despite her seeing it for who knows how many years. Although Ruby probably perfected that stare throughout the years to the point that it is a natural reflex when she doesn't get what she wants.

"Thanks, Princess."

No sooner when those two words leave her lips I feel her hands slide onto my hips. I'm wearing my usual white heels today, making the height difference between Ruby and myself greater than it already is. The result is a tippy toeing Ruby struggling to hold herself on the balls of her feet to match me until I realize her struggle and lean forward to bring my lips to her level without much of a thought process.

"I love you."

Those three words send shivers down my spine. The way they roll off of her lips are perfectly melodic. It comes off as a sweet whisper, yet at the same time it is said so firmly and meaningful. Hearing her say it along with the way she uttered those words makes me far more eager to get a kiss from her.

"I love you too."

While I respond her eyes close with her leaning closer to me. Immediately after, I close my eyes and start to lean forward to meet her halfway in a soft touching of lips that turns into a combo hug from both of us to avoid either pulling away.

During our kiss my heart is racing far more than before. I know it's not just from the kiss. Deep in the back of my mind I'm worried. What if someone sees us? I could care less about my own reputation, but Ruby. She's too innocent to deal with the problem-starters and thought-twisters that I deal with. I don't want her name to get ruined and for her to be known everywhere she goes for something other than the fact that she is one of the youngest people to attend Beacon, or for her amazing combat prowess against the creatures of grimm.

I don't let any of these thoughts get too far to the front of my head. I keep my eyes closed and continue to brush my lips against hers. There's a slight moment of wordless communication in our kiss to the point that we don't tighten our affectionate embrace by adding tongue to the equation. If either of us were to do that it may end up being hours before either of us are willing to break, or it may end with us losing track of our surroundings until eventually we are discovered by wandering staff. Thankfully neither happen and after an embrace that lasts close to a minute we break apart and take a moment to stare into each other's eyes.

"How about we keep looking around?" I suggest.

"Mhm." There she goes with that dumbstruck humming of hers. I swear she's too cute for her own good.

We continue to work our way through each exhibit. Ruby telling me about each weapon she knows about, and becoming shocked when she comes across a weapon she doesn't (although that rarely happened). It's not until we get to the last exhibit that we both see something that leaves us in complete shock. Within the last exhibit there's a weapon on display that looks like an extra lightweight version of Crescent Rose. The only differences are of course its size, bulk, and the color scheme.

"It's a fake." Ruby says to me before we even get closer to observe the weapon.

"What? How do you know?"

"I know my Uncle. He would never give away one of his creations to a museum. He's not that kind of person."

"We don't even know if it's him that made it." I retort, not wanting Ruby to jump to conclusions on who the creator of the weapon is.

When the two of us get closer we both look at the plaque. Ruby is the first to finish and lets out an angered grunt after reading but keeps her complaints down until I am done.

One of the most dangerous weapons ever designed by the legendary Huntsman Qrow Branwen. Its name remains unknown as it was never given one. This is the only one of its kind.

"They even have a fake signature on it. Uncle Qrow never signs his work! I can't believe that they'd try to make a cheap knockoff on one of the weapons he's worked so hard to create."

"Let's not make a big deal out of it, Ruby. We'll come back another day and right this. I don't like the idea of it either. If this were a cheap version of Myrtenaster on display I would have already had whoever owns this museum down under, but that's because I cherish my weapon far too much to let someone even think of replicating its glory in such hideous fashion."

Before either of us could get riled by the situation I pull my scroll from my pocket and give Sebastian a call to come pick us up. As usual he only answers me with a simple 'okay' before he hangs up. After the call Ruby and I make our exit from the museum with me giving my thanks to the several employees near the main door while Ruby remains silent the entire time out of anger that her uncle's weapon has been falsely replicated. It's another form of plagiarism or even copyright, but thinking on the fact that Mr. Qrow never signs his work leads me to believe that he would never make a copyright on a weapon design either.

On the other hand I know for a fact that Myrtenaster's design and blueprints are copyrighted and property of the Schnee Dust Company. There is not another weapon of close similarity anywhere in the world, thankfully. It's my weapon and it's practically my trademark. To know that there could possibly be another weapon out there would leave me with an odd taste in my mouth. As if my identity was being stolen right from underneath me.

We are left waiting roughly 10 minutes after our exit before Sebastian silently pulls up after making a turn from the nearby corner. As usual he comes around to open the door for us but Ruby already opened it herself and climbed in. To see her so silent and in a rush agitates me. I'm not agitated at her, but at the reason she is agitated (and rightly so I will add). I'm going to make sure that weapon is taken out of that museum, especially for the false signature placed on it. The weapon being there was perfectly fine until an autograph was placed to make it seem like an original.

"Did you two have fun?" Sebastian eventually lowers the window that cuts off the driver and shotgun seats from the rest of the car so he can speak to us.

"It was a very nice trip, Sebastian. We just found something that upset Ruby quite a bit, and myself to be honest." I admit.

"Oh? Is it something I can take care during my down time?"

"You've seen Ruby's Crescent Rose, correct?"

"Yes, I saw its scythe transformation when Ms. Rose was doing target practice on the roof."

"Well, there's a close replica of it in the museum that is a rip-off of one of her uncle's pieces of work. Ruby is certain her uncle would never give away one of his items, or autograph it at that. Of course I'll ask Mr. Qrow if he knows anything about it, but as of now I am convinced that weapon does not belong in that museum, or at least it doesn't deserve to say it was made by a legendary Huntsman."

"I'll wait on your word then." Sebastian peeks over his shoulder at me and gives his reassuring smile that makes me nod my head in thanks.

During the ride I do my very best to comfort Ruby. Holding her in my arms, placing my nose to her temple, and even giving little pokes to her hip that eventually bring forth her beloved smile. The moment she smiles is when she lays her head on my shoulder and goes back to being more like herself in the form of snuggling herself against me during the rest of the car ride, but she still doesn't utter a word which I am still fine with.

After a 20 minute drive we arrive in front of the dance club that we dropped Blake and Yang off. There is a massive crowd of people outside that is causing quite a commotion. It's not until Sebastian comes around and opens the door that he brings me up to speed on the situation.

"It seems that Ms. Yang and Ms. Blake are in there in some sort of open-challenge. When I came back Ms. Blake came to retrieve her weapon and since then they've been undefeated as far as I am aware of."

I climb out of the car and look above the club to see that there is a large banner above the doorway that reads 'Come one, Come all and test your mettle against the undefeated Blonde Brawler of The Pit, along with her mysterious companion.'

"I'm assuming there's a fight purse involved considering it mentions Yang's reputation in The Pit?" I ask to Sebastian while Ruby climbs out behind me to get a better look at the crowd.

"Wow . . . You think Yang and Blake can handle all of this?" Ruby asks in amazement to the size of the crowd outside. On top of that there's no telling how many are inside already prepping for their bout. Yang I am not so worried about, her semblance makes her ideal for these types of situations, but I am not so sure about Blake's stamina or how long it will take her to deal with this many people if she's fighting alongside Yang. I know for a fact that Yang will put herself in harm's way should it even look like Blake is in danger, but then it may shift to Yang carrying the load of two.

"I'm sure they can, but how is this being organized? Are they doing things separately or as a team?" I answer Ruby then immediately question Sebastian right after.

"I'm sure they-"

"Heads up!"

That voice can be none other than Yang. Her loud scream makes the three of us turn to the doorway just in time to see a flying body slamming into some of the people crowding the doorway and leaving a mess of people on the floor from the domino-chaining impact.

With the massive horde of people out of the way we see Yang grinning with her right arm straight out, revealing the punch she just sent someone flying with was none other than her right cross. Behind her is Blake who is just sheathing Gambol Shroud with an amused smile on her face. Neither of them appear to be tired or even sweating.

After that deadly punch I don't see anybody stepping up to face the undefeated duo, at least until a familiar voice hits my eardrum and makes me turn my head to see who is just arriving and walking into the club.

"We'll have a go." The cheery, confident voice calls out. My eyes widen at who it is, watching as he walks into the club with his partner behind with an optimistic smile.

"Wait, what are you two doing here!?" Yang shouts in surprise at the two new arrivals.

"Well . . . about that-" He begins to speak but before I can hear the reason another familiar voice calls out from my left.

"Weiss, Ruby it's nice seeing you two again. I didn't think we'd see you for another week." I turn my head and smile at seeing the second half of the team and who called out my name. I raise up my hand and give a proper wave before I respond

"It's nice to see you too, Ren."


	14. Swords and a Barbarian

_Well, next chapter I will be introducing a new character into my fanfic that will hopefully be a good representation of what the canon version will be like. You can all start taking your guesses as to who it is, and if you're right you may win a prize!_

_Also, I couldn't think of a good chapter title . . . Sue me._

_On a third note, Tuc! Dude, I love your reviews. They give me something to really read into and it has gotten me ot the point where I start to make bullet points in a notepad when I read your reviews since I know I will be getting something good out of them. Please, never stop reviewing! _

_Moonlight! Shoutout to you just cause I feel like it xD You should make an account already!_

**Chapter 14 – Swords and a Barbarian**

"I'm sorry about all this you guys." I lower my head in apology to the rest of my team. What was meant to be a single trip for myself turned into a group outing after my slight stubbornness of wanting to spend the break from Beacon with my teammates. As always it is the pedestal I have been placed upon that attempts to separate me from those nearby. I suppose I should be thankful that my teammates made it a form of obligation to come with me after they heard my disapproval over my scroll.

"We move as one, Pyrrha." Ren drops his hand onto my shoulder, causing me to look back while we continue making our way down the street.

"Yeah, it wasn't that bad anyway. I never knew you had to do photo shoots." Jaune reassures me from my left.

"They had plenty of pancakes! Free breakfast is A-okay with me." And of course we can't forget Nora who is next to Ren and right behind Jaune.

"I'm glad it wasn't another Pumpkin Pete's advertisement." I let out a sigh of relief. I hate promoting something that is so unhealthy, but it's these advertisements that help sustain my life in Beacon since I always send a large amount of my earnings to several charities.

"Yeah, but why come to Atlas?" Jaune questions.

"It's the release of a new armor. Someone as well-known as me makes the perfect selling point for it. I'm practically a logo or a brand name, much like Weiss." It's a sad truth that I hate to admit.

"You're not a brand to us, Pyrrha." Jaune is the first to object to my comment. He's always been one of the first to cut me off whenever I say something that he believes is me either insulting or doubting myself.

"You're our teammate, friend, and family to say the very least." Ren joins in to back up Jaune's words.

"Definitely! Pancakes never taste the same unless you're there, Pyrrha!" Then there is Nora who explains her affections in such an odd way. It's something I've grown used to quickly.

"Well," I speak up to change the conversation's direction, "how about we explore Atlas a little bit? There's a really nice restaurant I know about that's around the corner. If I'm right they also make pancakes, Nora."

The moment I mention that pancakes can be part of the equation it doesn't take any more convincing to get Nora on my side. Jaune, as usual is okay with the suggestion made, and Ren agrees with to not make finding a place to eat difficult, especially since we already have Nora on board, which is the toughest part in any decision.

"Guess that settles it. Your lead Pyrrha." Jaune gives me one of his genuine smiles and slows down just slightly enough to give me the lead so he can follow behind along with Nora and Ren.

Before this ordeal had to take place Jaune and I spent everyday training among the two of us until we get his fundamental fighting form down to the point that he doesn't make any unnecessary movements or waste extra energy on an all-out attack that will get blocked since he made no setup attempt. With the proper motivation and training Jaune has gotten himself to the point of holding his ground against me much longer than the entire team CRDL could.

The only thing that can make Jaune improve more is to face someone aside from me. He's sparred with me so many times that he knows all of my moves after being bested by them on several occasions. Jaune only knows how to face me know through habit and instinct rather than reading and reacting to my moves. I don't want to ask Nora to spar against Jaune since Nora has a very bad habit of not limiting her strength. No matter what Nora is the kind of person to go all out in a reckless manner.

On the other hand I could ask Ren to spar with Jaune but for some reason Ren has proven to be more fatigued than usual. Even during the flight from Vale to Atlas he was asleep on the airship within seconds of settling down and he slept through the entire trip. Despite the good five hour nap he was able to get without any of us disturbing him, Ren still shows signs of being tired, regardless how faint the signs may be for the moment.

"Alright, it should be right around this corner." I announce.

The four of us make our way around the next block and sure enough I can see the large sign ahead of us that labels the restaurant's location. However, what catches my eye is across the street from the restaurant. There's a large banner over a nightclub that appears to be drawing in people by the hundreds to whatever special event is there.

"What's going on over there?" Jaune is the first to speak up on the odd gathering that is taking place.

"I can see the sign from here," Jaune and I come to a stop to let Ren step between us and read out the sign through squinted eyes, "Come one, come all and test your mettle against the undefeated Blonde Brawler of The Put, along with her mysterious companion."

_Blonde Brawler of The Pit? This may be a bit more than he can chew but I'm sure that Jaune can have a good learning experience from this._

The only person that has that name is Yang. That must mean the 'companion' is Blake.

I wonder why team RWBY would be in Atlas but I chalk it up to this being Weiss' home town and possibly wanting to show the team around Atlas while showing off a few things she is able to do as a Schnee.

"I think Jaune and I will be going over there to see what the competition in there is about." I give Jaune a smile and grab his wrist before he can offer any complaints, although he tries to convince me otherwise while I tug him along with me to cross the street.

"Um, you mean just take a look at the competition, right? We aren't signing up are we? Pyrrha?" Jaune keeps questioning me but is met by silence.

"Jaune, I already know who our opponents are." As I finally answer him I make note of the limo stopping in front of the club with the familiar snowflake emblem that can only belong to one person. "If you take a look right there then you'll notice too."

We are still a ways from making it to the doorway of the club, but once the door to the limo is opened by a tall, well-dressed driver and reveals Ruby-Weiss duo that exit Jaune understands instantly that inside the club can be none other than the other half of the team.

"Wait, so we're facing Blake and Yang? Pyrrha they're gonna kill me . . . especially Yang. Have you forgotten the way she was wailing on her own partner a few weeks back? What makes you think she won't go just as hard on us?" Jaune is as worried as always and oblivious to the progress he's made by facing off against me. I think he sometimes forgets I am a world renowned fighter, but it's for that same reason I've come to admire him so much. I'm not the 'World Famous Invincible Girl: Pyrrha Nikos' to him, I'm 'Pyrrha, his friend, partner, and precious teammate.

"I expect her to be fighting with all the motivation and energy she has. The festival is next week, and the tournament will be happening as well. This is a scouting opportunity more than anything, and fortunately Yang is the easiest to scout considering there are so many films taken of her. I know Yang very well. If it makes you feel more comfortable then I'll handle Yang and leave Blake to you."

Either way Jaune will have a difficult time. If it's not because of Yang's power and 'in your face' mentality when she fights then it will be because of Blake's calculating movements and versatility she has with her fighting style and use of her ribbon with Gambol Shroud.

"Ummm . . . Honestly I rather deal with Yang. Blake scares me more, but in a silent, predatory way." Jaune admits. With his improvements he's also been able to recognize bigger threats. For our sparring sessions if he can't stop me when I throw two simultaneous attacks, he has had a bigger success rate with blocking the one that is more dangerous, even if I make sure to make the deadlier attack look like something that is just weak and practically useless in a certain scenario.

"So is it settled, then?"

"I guess." Jaune mumbles. His lack of confidence is still surprising, but it also has an odd charm to it that makes me smile and laugh.

"Jaune, you've made more progress than you think." I let those be my last words to him before I start to speed up with his wrist still in hand.

I look over my shoulder and see that Nora and Ren have both crossed the street and are following behind at a walking pace while I have Jaune going close to a jog. It's not until we get close to the doorway that I let go of his wrist.

"Here we go." He comments with an audible groan.

The two of us watch as a pile of people go flying through the doorway just before we can get there. I don't let the flying bodies discourage me and Jaune seems to be keeping pace to show he is not too intimidated by the crowd-clearing power that had to be from Yang – the powerhouse of team RWBY.

"We'll have a go!" I call out when we get to the doorway and see the two girls standing on the dancefloor. Based on the smiles on their faces and the lack of any serious panting, their opponents must have either been too weak, or uncoordinated.

"Wait, what are you two doing here?" The shock in Yang's face to see Jaune and myself is nothing short of what I was expecting. The timing of their trip and my unexpected visit to Atlas being within the same timeframe was unlikely. I would have been shocked to see Team RWBY in Mistral under similar circumstances.

"Well . . . about that," Jaune begins to explain, "Pyrrha had something to take care of and we just followed along." While Jaune explains I continue to walk forward until I am at the very edge of the dance floor while Yang and Blake are on the further end. Looking on the marble tiles I can see several droplets of blood. The same red textures are on Yang's gauntlets while Blake's arms seem to be untouched, but I can't say the same for her weapon since it is still on her back.

"Are you sure you two want to step up here? We're following Pit etiquette. It's for the KO and not a second before." Yang warns. Under those rules I expect Jaune to be ready to back off from the challenge but he steps in front of me with a smile on his face.

"Don't let me hold you back, Pyrrha." Jaune whispers while he takes his first step onto the dance floor.

"Hold it right there." To our right is a somewhat husky voice. The person it came from is a tall man with a mix of black and grey hair. "There's a fee to face them both. If you can't afford it then-"

"I'll cover the fight purse, Xiong." The familiar voice over our shoulder is none other than Weiss who walks over to him and begins to gesture him away to take care of the costs. Before they become too distant I see Weiss look over her shoulder and pass a smile my way. I need to make sure to thank her later, or at the very least pay her back for the expense.

"Are you ready, Jaune?" I turn my head to the team leader who nods his head and his. He doesn't waste any time and goes ahead to draw his sword and expand his sheath into the shield that displays his double arc emblem. At the same time I reach over my shoulder to grasp my shield to magnetize it against my left bracer. As for Milo, I grasp it from over my shoulder in its rifle form and convert it to its short sword version. For now I plan on using the same weapon-type as Jaune to help give him a small confidence boost.

"Should we try staying together?" I ask, giving Jaune the option to have me nearby.

"They've been doing this for a while. Their chemistry must be far too good for us to fight them when they're near each other. I'll go in and get their attention, you separate Blake from me and Yang." Jaune starts to calmly walk forward with a serious look in his eyes. The focused stare in his eyes is always amazing to look at. From our very first time coordinating in the Emerald Forest, to our sparring sessions together, and even during the Breach in Vale, Jaune has a side of him that throws his own capabilities out the window and prioritize the success of our objective. It's the trait that makes him best suited to be our leader.

I smile and convert my sword back to its rifle form. I lower myself down to a knee and brace my shield on the ground with my rifle resting on top of it to help compensate for recoil. In my kneeling position I have my left foot planted on the ground which allows me to change what my shield is magnetized to. In this new position I decide to magnetize my shield to the full shin guards I am wearing to free my left arm so I can use both hands on my rifle.

With me in position to fire at any time and Jaune still making is patient advance across the dancefloor but also blocking my view of our opponents. It's not until he is in the center of the area that Yang makes her first move and slowly steps a few paces to her right to look right at me with a smirk. At the same time Jaune steps over as well to keep blocking my view of Yang and vice versa.

With my view of Yang blocked I immediately turn to Blake who is carefully watching Jaune out the corner of her eye as well as watching me. I can't tell what they're planning for now but I have two ideas. They either want to take out Jaune first and focus on me, or they want Yang to be the one to face me while Blake takes on Jaune.

_I'm your opponent, Blake._

I quickly turn my rifle away from Jaune and right towards to take several shots at her. The result is the faunus girl ducking and dashing towards her left while also clearing a specific radius around Jaune before bee-lining towards me.

I give one final look to Jaune who has his shield raised and is advancing on Yang while keeping his defensive stance adopted after each step he makes to defend any surprise strike Yang may throw out.

_Just remember what I taught you and what you taught yourself, Jaune._

In the split second I took to look at Jaune, Blake was able to get her weapons drawn and have the barrel of her pistol aimed right at me. The accompanying gunfire almost catches me but I twist my left and lower myself to cower behind my shield. I detach Akoúo̱ from my leg and attach it to my wrist bracer and toss my rifle up to convert it into its sword form right in time to intercept a swing of Blake's cleaver with my sword, and a swing from her blade with my shield at the same time.

"Jaune's not ready to face Yang." Blake jumps back and resettles herself with her double-edged sword being held over her head and her cleaver out in front of her with the blade-side pointed towards me.

"He's more capable than you think." I answer. Jaune may not be ready to face Yang but he won't get any more prepared unless he fights someone significantly stronger than him. I'm not sure what Yang's fighting capabilities are in comparison to me, but the diversity he is being exposed to by fighting someone else will surely allow him to progress, no matter how little.

I peek over to Jaune again, seeing him blocking some of Yang's punches and moving in to strike when the chance is given. He's not being too aggressive, but instead is being assertively defensive.

My mistake of worrying about Jaune is immediately made known to me when I am blindsided by Blake with a ribbon spiraling around my neck and Gambol Shroud being there to lock against the ribbon after a few curls. Out of instinct I drop my weapon and shield to grab the ribbon in an attempt to loosen it from my throat which I am successful at, but now my fingers are caught between her ribbon and my neck.

"If he's that capable then why are you taking your eyes off of me?" Blake gives me a piercing gaze while she tugs on the ribbon with both of her hands. "If you can't trust Jaune to take care of himself, how can you fight with him at your side?"

_Blake's right. I can't keep worrying about Jaune. He's capable. I've told him that so many times yet I'm the one that's not taking my own words to heart._

My thought process is broken when the ribbon is yanked on, forcing me to stumble forward and drop to my knees. If I want to get out of this I need to get either my sword or my shield.

After second or two of quick thinking I slide my leg towards my shield to use my semblance in order to attach the shield to my leg. With my other foot I plant it into the ground and give the hardest kick off the floor that I can, causing me to front flip and use my other leg to slam my shield into the ribbon with enough force along the edge to cut the material.

My flip is more out of desperation than calculation, causing me to have too much momentum in the flip and land on my rear. With the ribbon broken I take off the strands that are still around my neck and also take a hold of the pistol-katana hybrid half of Gambol Shroud that lays at my feet. Straight ahead of me is Blake who is wide eyed and on her rear as well, possibly having fell after I cut her ribbon with my desperation move.

"I trust Jaune more than anybody else." I say in a loud, clear voice. I reach my right hand now and focus my semblance to pull my sword into my grasp. Without a warning I transform it to a spear and launch it right to Blake who uses her cleaver-sheath to block it, but gets disarmed in the process. To follow up I take her Gambol Shroud and throw it at her, but I throw it in an arc when I realize the weight and shape, giving it a curving, almost boomerang effect when it goes at the seated faunus.

I keep an eye on the spiraling blade, but just before it makes contact I see a large spark and a mild explosion that sends the weapon flying away with Blake in shock at the close call. To my left (her right) is Yang who just shot a round of Ember Celica to stop Gambol Shroud, but now has a gash on her arm that has to be from Jaune's blade that has a slightly red texture on the tip. Jaune appears to be wide-eyed at whatever transpired and takes a few steps back to split the distance between Yang and myself.

"You're not laying a hand on Blake until you get through me!" Yang's raise in tone is accompanied by her eyes changing to a flaming red. I never thought the chance that Blake getting hit during a match would get Yang so angry.

Before Jaune or I can react I see Yang take an explosive step towards me. By instinct I raise my shield to block the running superman punch from Yang. Despite my semblance keeping the shield to my wrist the pure force behind the punch sends my shield flying into the air and exposed for the second attack.

I watch as Yang winds up for another attack but with my semblance I can easily move her punch away. I hold both of my hands out in front of me and wait for her to attack with that same right straight, but before I get a chance to use my semblance on her bracers, Jaune ducks between Yang and I to raise his shield up and slap away the oncoming punch from underneath. If he tried to block it straight on he either would have had his shield and forearm destroyed or a hole punched right through Crocea Mors considering it may not be the strongest shield in comparison to Akoúo̱.

Yang then comes in for another punch to Jaune's shield, but this time I use my semblance to force Jaune to a knee and curve his shield to make the punch slide off rather than take it straight on. It takes Jaune a moment to realize the invisible force controlling him is me but he picks up on it quickly.

This odd situation now has Jaune relaxing his body and allowing me to use my semblance on him to fight Yang in a downhill battle. I wait for the perfect time to make Jaune parry a punch before I vault over him and kick Yang back to give the two of us some breathing room. Akoúo̱ is nearby on the floor, but Milo is near Blake who is just standing up but with Milo in her hand and launching the spear straight at me with so much force and momentum that she ends up front flipping at the same time.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune calls out to me. He must mean my spear but I already see it heading towards me. It's after I catch my shield that I look left and see Yang is already throwing another flurry of punches that I am ill prepared for.

With almost perfect timing I see my shield fly over my shoulder and bounce off of Yang's gauntlets. The instant I see my shield I use my semblance to pull it back onto my forearm to level out the playing field between Yang and I substantially. Needless to say that Jaune is showing results in this match, but Yang just became my top priority with her sudden outburst of anger.

"Get Blake!" I scream to Jaune while multitasking with deflecting punches and shifting my spear into a short sword.

My command to Jaune doesn't sit well with Yang. The first attack I throw with my sword isn't even blocked. It's instead ducked underneath, allow Yang to grab my wrist and flip me over her shoulder. Instead of fighting her strength to stay on my feet I jump with her motion to add to the momentum and instead land on my feet.

When I look over my shoulder after my recovery I see Jaune running towards Blake, but Yang right on his tail with a flaming step that sends a shiver down my spine. If this is the Yang we'll be facing in the tournament then there may need to be a lot more strategizing. This style is far different from her 1 on 1 spars in Beacon, or even her matches in The Pit. She's not brawling or fighting coordinated with strategy. She's keeping the biggest threats away from Blake which makes her incredibly unpredictable since she's proven she's willing to take an attack as long as she can keep Blake guarded.

"Jaune, DUCK!" My warning is heard and reacted to just in time. Jaune starts to duck but also turns around to see just what it is he is dodging. The wide-eyed look on his face as Yang's forearm causes a gust that blows his hair up above his forehead. A second later and he would have been flipping through the air from Yang's lariat attempt.

I quickly run towards Jaune who takes a few steps towards me before turning back around and raising his shield. Yang on the other hand is standing behind Blake, alternating between checking on Blake and observing the two of us in case we decide to make a move.

"Pyrrha, there's no chance we're winning this. Yang doesn't seem to be herself right now." Jaune comments to me. The last few attacks from Yang have all been much more brutal and I've already seen Jaune's capability to hold up to Yang, at least for a little while.

"There's no point in doubting yourself, Jaune. How about we use _that?_"

"Pyrrha! We've never used _that _in a real fight. I still don't have the throw mastered."

"Something's wrong with Blake. She hasn't moved much and Yang is fighting us like a wolf defending its cubs. If we're only dealing with Yang then _that_ is the perfect way to finish things." I look out the corner of my eye at Jaune who takes a deep breath and nods his head. The blonde warrior removes his shield from his arm and holds it out to me. We ended up doing this move by accident during a spar against Team CRDL. Since then we've done our best to replicate it and the one piece we need is for Jaune to get a throw mastered.

"Are you sure you want to try it, Pyrrha? If we use it now then it won't work during the tournament."

_Whoever wins this fight will have more motivation and momentum going into the tournament. We need to win this._

"I'm sure, Jaune. I'll leave it up to you."


	15. The Unstoppable, Invincible, and

_Here's Chapter 15 everyone :D Hope you enjoy :3  
_

_Also . . . it wasn't Winter._

* * *

_**Chapter 15 - The Unstoppable, The Invincible, and The Untouchable  
**_

_**(One Match before JNPR's arrival)**_

"Yang . . . I'm dizzy."

"What do you mean you're dizzy?"

"I used my semblance too much so far. I don't think I have much aura left."

"Kittycat, just keep your head high and let me take care of everything."

There she goes again. That smile of hers that tells me she's ready to put the world on her shoulders for me. Opponents after opponents continue to step onto the multi-colored dance floor in hopes of being able to say they 'dethroned' the Blonde Brawler. It's been nearly two hours at this point since the first competitor. What started out as two separate one on one matches with me being the preliminary to face Yang turned into a team effort when I proved to Jiu Xiong that I don't plan on losing anytime soon. After the first 20 victories he quickly organized people to come up in pairs. Since then it's been Yang and I fighting side by side, at least until _that_ happened.

* * *

_**(FLASHBACK - Two Matches before JNPR's arrival)**_

"When the hell is she going to attack?" I growl as I watch the blue-haired girl circle around us at high speed thanks to her hoverboard. Since Yang took out her friend with a surprise uppercut that sent the dark-skinned partner through the roof of the club only to come back down and create another hole before being checked on two others that appear to be with them.

The one that we're left dealing with has spiky blue hair that starts off short on the left side of her head but gets longer and lower the more you go from the left side of her head to the right. She's wearing fingerless gloves, a black belt over her purple sweater, and a pinkish undershirt and shorts along with black and cyan knee pads that match her gloves and elbow pads.

"Get 'em Reese!" One of the two men on the sidelines scream out to their friend.

The show off skater suddenly turns to face us while doing a kickflip with the hoverboard. I watch as the hoverboard goes too high on the kickflip, making a recover to land on it impossible, at least that's what I think she's trying to do. With the board flying off almost out of arm's distance she back flips herself to build a small amount of momentum to keep herself in reach of the board. I then notice during the board's rapid barrel rolling that it's transforming into something else.

Before Yang and I can get a good look at the transformation we are both sent diving in opposite directions when we notice several blasts coming from the apparent hoverboard. I look back at Reese, noticing that she landed with her weapon back in its hoverboard form. Whatever it is that she just used is not something I want to get caught by.

Her next attack comes in just as random a fashion as her first, but this time she makes her board spin by doing a very powerful pop shove-it. While she jumps and lets the board hop up as well, she flips herself upside down to catch her board mid-transformation and fire off another series of shots prior to finishing her airborne cartwheel and placing her board down to land on once again. Her style of fighting at the moment is extreme hit and run. A method I haven't had to deal with before, and never in such a bizarre fashion. On top of that her weapons are two guns with a firing rate similar to Ren's Stormflower.

"Blake . . . remember that move you did against me? If I get her off the board you think you can hit it?"

"Yang I need to charge up a lot of aura to use my semblance like that. I can't do that mid-fight." I explain, but Yang gives me a smirk and cocks her gauntlets back to pop out the emptied shells and throw two magazines into the air that she catches into each of her Ember Celica.

"Just sit down and focus, Kittycat. I won't let you get it. I'll put our relationship on that one." She's stupid for saying something like that, but that grin of hers and those lilac eyes tell me she means it. The moment I nod my head her smirk turns even more determined and is accompanied by a change in eye-color. I drop down onto the ground to leave everything up to Yang.

_I can trust Yang. With every fiber of my being I WILL trust Yang._

I give a smile to Yang who is facing the skateboarding girl. Yang's back is towards me, not letting her see my final gaze. Yes, _final_ gaze.

I take a deep breath and close my eyes, leaving the world around me to become a mystery and escape the reality before me to my place of peace and tranquility. I focus on my sense of touch. Every little bit of concentration going into feeling my own aura and dragging it into the center of my body. There's always a warm, embracive feeling when I do this. Ever since the first time Mr Qrow told me to focus my aura for my semblance I treated it as a form of meditation with the added task of drawing my aura throughout my body.

It's a weird, almost shiver-inducing feeling when I allow myself to delve into a deeper sense of touch. I lose my ability to know what's going on in the outside world and instead become aware of what is going on inside myself. It's the one time I become so familiar with myself. I know where my ribbon is tickling my skin or where there's even the slightest of grooves in my clothing. This is where I become the most self-aware.

I feel a warmth begin to flow through my body that also has a mild breeze-like feeling attached to it. It's something indescribable, but for those that have experienced an odd sensation it's easy to know what is being talked about. It's like being exposed to a burning heat, but then having your arms treated to a freezing mist that just barely tickles your skin. It's brief, barely noticed unless you're expecting it, and it has a calming effect that is incomparable to anything else. Well, for me there's only one thing comparable to it, and she's out there keeping me safe.

_Almost, Yang . . . I just need a few minutes._

With each passing second I feel the center of my body become heavier and warmer. To add to the increase in heat, my ears pick up my own heartbeat. It's pounding and throbbing against my chest. Despite how calm and relaxed it is I think it will break free of my flesh any second.

It's at this point that I need to hold my concentration. My body will react to the slightest movement and I will need all of my effort to avoid breaking out of my unphased state of mind. The gusts of wind that hit my hair, the mild vibrations in the floor, even Yang sucking her teeth when she misses with Ember Celica. Among the much louder noises I can hear it all. From a blackened world with no light I build the world around me. Each figure and sound being created by a white contour to suit my basic needs. To my right are trio of cheering teammates, to my left is Yang holding her ground with Ember Celica, and finally, to my 11 o'clock position is our opponent, still flying and shooting on her hoverboard.

_I trust her_

Several more gusts of wind make my hair and bangs tickle my skin. Each explosion is slightly closer than the last, but I know Yang wouldn't let me get hit. It's something I could never be more certain about. There's not a doubt in my head, a possible scenario, or a person alive that will make me believe that Yang would break her word.

_Just a few more seconds _

I keep my calm to make sure I don't rush myself. The warmth from the center of my body starts to spread into my arms and legs until I feel a very mild tingling and breeze in my fingertips. At that moment my eyes shoot open and I trigger my semblance to release the stored up aura to create the solid copy of myself.

Straight ahead of me are several holes in the marble floor as well as to my sides when I begin to look around. Yang is still nearby, making use of her Ember Celica to keep the mobile fighter at bay. I move to my feet, hearing a rustling behind me that causes me to look over my shoulder with a grin.

_Welcome back._

"Yang! I'm ready!"

I begin running with my copy towards Yang who is still shooting at the airborne skater. When I get close enough I draw Gambol Shroud in its pistol form and begin firing at the small hoverboard. Yang's gauntlets may be a hassle to dodge, but Gambol Shroud is worse considering it has a faster fire rate and smaller bullets. A single shot to the leg is all I need to slow down that hyperactive skater girl.

And that one hit is exactly what I get.

I watch as a small cut to the side of her knee pad forces her to drop to a crouch on her hoverboard. Yang doesn't waste a second and fires at the board to send it flying away right from underneath its rider to bring the super mobile fighter down to Remnant - pun intended.

"Heh . . . Blake you're up."

I nod my head to Yang and run right passed her on her right while my copy runs by her on the left. This is my second time setting up for this move. It may be more reliable than I thought.

. . . Shrouded Daggers.

* * *

_**(FlashForward - One Match Before JNPR's arrival.)**_

That match took every ounce of energy out of me, leaving me practically useless as I am. The next opponents are already stepping up and ready to go. Yang said to just keep my head high, but I feel drowsy, sluggish, and drained both physically and mentally. I'm guessing the more I put myself into this state, the more my body will adapt to it. I'm certain that is part of Mr. Qrow's training with having me use my advanced semblance until I can't do it anymore. Or maybe I'm just giving him too much credit.

"Blake! Watch out!"

I give a heavy shake of my head and look straight ahead of me to see the next duo is already advancing. The one in front of me has short black hair, a green tank top and silver jogging pants on, but the only thing I can make out are the ridges of his knuckles, at least until another hand blocks my view of it all.

When the series of events at point-blank range end I see Yang standing in front of me, and in front of her is the entrance to the club with several people collapsed. She just pushed the attack out of the way and sent one of them flying into the other, and then both flying into the crowd to end the match without so much as a movement from me.

"Nobody's laying a hand on you for the rest of the night, Blake. I promise"

* * *

_**(Present - Post chapter 14)**_

"Yang . . . don't worry about me. Just take care of them." I hiss to the blonde behind me.

"I'm not going back on my word, Blake. This is how I'm fighting from now on. In a tournament, on the field, wherever we are I'm not going to let you get hurt as long as I can help it." I feel one of her heavy hands rest on my shoulder but I don't dare look away from Jaune and Pyrrha.

"And what am I supposed to do then? I can't let you fight for two." I snap back at her.

"I thought you already knew." Yang's hand leaves my shoulder. The taller blonde walks in front of me and passes a gaze out the corner of her left eye my way. "You stop me from doing anything stupid. That's how our relationship works, doesn't it?"

_Yang . . . you're such a . . . _

"You're such a moron." I smile, getting a thumbs up from Yang who understands the opposite meaning of my caring insult.

"One of us has to be the smart one. It sure as hell isn't gonna be me." Yang begins to take her steps towards Jaune and Pyrrha. While she does so I pick up Gambol Shroud and hold it in its pistol form at the ready. I'm not at my greatest, but I'm also not at my worst. If I can help it I'll keep the buffoon I love out of trouble.

"Pyrrha! Go!" I watch as Jaune and Pyrrha shoot off in different directions, but there's something odd about the two of them. On Jaune's arm is Pyrrha's shield while Pyrrha has a hold of Jaune's.

_What the hell are they doing?_

Jaune is the first to step in towards Yang with Yang meeting the blonde warrior with super confidence. However, when she goes to punch the shield I see her fist bounce back without seeing or hearing any contact being made.

The constant barrage of punches that Yang continues to throw all come up short for some unknown reason. While she is busy with Jaune I look to Pyrrha and take note that she is aiming her spear at Yang. At the same time I raise Gambol Shroud towards her but when I start to fire, her spear is already on its flight path.

"Yang!"

I scream out her name, causing her to sidestep out of instinct. She knew where Pyrrha was in comparison from her, and me shouting her name brings the fact that Pyrrha is attacking her blind spot into the light. I watch the spear's flight path, noting it is now heading straight towards Jaune who only angles the shield at a certain angle. When the spear gets close to the shield it suddenly curves as if it is being moved away by some sort of force field and changes its flight path towards me.

_How the-?_

I save the thoughts for later and jump backwards to land on my back to both dodge the flying spear and still have a workable angle to shoot at Pyrrha with Gambol Shroud. At least that's what I think.

"Pyrrha, NOW!"

The sudden scream makes me look at Jaune who launches the shield towards me with a slight tilt. I can tell instantly that it is not flying towards me and instead curves through the air very slightly like a frisby. The result is the golden shield flying over me in the same direction at the spear, even managing to catch up to the spear as it nears the very edge of the area and deflect it back towards Pyrrha despite it not making contact again. On top of that the shield continues to fly in a full revolution until it gets back to Jaune who raises up his left arm to catch it. It's then that I notice the golden bracer on his left arm. Pyrrha's bracer to be exact.

_Wait, Pyrrha!_

"Yang! Pyrrha's semblance!"

I remember Ruby telling us about Pyrrha's semblance. It's polarity. Magnetism. The invisible force that is blocking Yang's attacks. The fact that the shield and spear just deflected each other. Pyrrha not coming at me while Jaune was perfectly defended but instead stood where she was. She magnetized her shield to Jaune. If she can do that, then she can probably magnetize Yang's gauntlets. Yang probably doesn't understand magnetism that well, but all she needs to know is Pyrrha's the reason she can't hit Jaune. Pyrrha's shield and Ember Celica both have the same polarity. It's like putting two of the same magnets towards each other.

I watch as Pyrrha gives another motion of of her hand while still being unphased by the bullets from Gambol Shroud. With her right hand she begins to make very slight movements, leading me to assume that she is using her semblance, but with her other arm she launches Jaune's shield towards him. I can't walk straight thanks to my fatigue, leaving me the only option to sit and wait for a chance to assist Yang. Pyrrha's not affected by my gun thanks to her control and conservation of her aura. Jaune may be an easier target in that regard.

I shift my gaze over to the blonde duo, noticing Jaune raise his leg and give Yang a surprisingly strong kick that grants him a few seconds of space. With that short time frame he launches Pyrrha's shield back towards its rightful owner while also catching his in time to block another barrage of punches from Yang.

When Pyrrha's shield gets back to her I see her jump while giving a slight tilt to her body. The odd placement lets her allow her shield to pass underneath her, but she grabs it by the very edge just before it gets out of reach. At the same time she grabs it her foot touches the floor, allowing her to twirl and send the shield right back towards Jaune and Yang at a much higher velocity and rotation.

"Jaune! Throw!"

At Pyrrha's command Jaune is looking back towards the flying disk. I can't let Yang keep fighting alone otherwise Pyrrha's skill and the teamwork between her and Jaune will overpower Yang. I grit my teeth, hesitant to re-form my ribbon for Gambol Shroud, but after a very brief wave of reluctance passes over me I pull off my bow and tie it around my forearm to take the place of the one that was severed by Pyrrha.

When I look back at the Jaune and Yang I notice Pyrrha is running in close as well, but there's something weird about Pyrrha. She's not going in to strike, but she's also not staying at a safe distance. Instead she's focused on Jaune who drops his shield and tries to mimic what Pyrrha did to throw the shield again, although this time it's at Yang.

I go wide-eyed when I realize their double-throw wasn't meant to give the shield any speed, it was meant to give it a dangerous amount of rotation. Yang sees just how fast the shield is spinning and covers her face with Ember Celica in the form of an X. To add to the speed and rotation there's also the fact that Pyrrha's shield is probably very heavy.

When the shield makes contact with Ember Celica the first thing I notice are the heavy sprinkles of sparks that go flying in the air with Yang guarding against the spinning shield. While Yang is guarding, Pyrrha gets in closer and makes a very powerful leap into the air. At the same time I see notice that Yang builds up enough of a guard to push both of her arms up and send the shield flying straight into the air, but unfortunately it goes right at Pyrrha who throws it back down at Yang.

The pattern continues with Jaune and Pyrrha keeping the pressure on by throwing the shield in Yang's direction until finally Jaune attempts to grab it, but the high speed shows him wince and pull his hand back immediately. With his failed attempt I see the golden disc go flying off and getting lodged into the floor, proving just how dangerous it would have been should it have connected to Yang.

I keep my gun aimed at Pyrrha, but not firing until I know if it will be wise to. Jaune is already back to defending against Yang, but all I see Pyrrha do is extend her arm. When I look back at Yang I recognize that she is unable to hit Jaune's shield just like earlier. It's almost like she's working on correcting his mistakes while he's fighting Yang.

_Pyrrha's using her semblance to make Jaune a match for Yang. Jaune's probably going to keep fighting until Yang's tired enough for Pyrrha to take over._

I switch from aiming my gun at Pyrrha to aiming it at Yang and Jaune. If Yang can't get passed Jaune's shield, then I'll force him to drop it. I take a deep breath and start to shoot at Jaune's legs after one of his blocking attempts makes Yang bounce back. As expected, Jaune's aura doesn't allow the bullets to pierce, but they do break his focus and seem to make his leg bounce back in recoil.

The breaking of his battle rhythm is enough to give Yang a chance to duck towards Jaune's right, away from the shield, and land an overhand right that sends Jaune flying out of the dance floor and against a wall where Ruby, Weiss, Nora, and Ren run over to check on him.

"Damnit that was annoying!" Yang shouts before letting out an angered sigh with a drop of her shoulders.

"I'm sorry!" Pyrrha calls out to Jaune. She seems pretty relaxed despite her partner being taken out.

"Now . . . You're next Ms. Untouchable Girl." Yang turns her attention towards Pyrrha, but makes it a point to put herself between me and the 4-time Mistral Regional Tournament winner.

"Actually, Yang. It's 'Invincible Girl' and as long as you're wearing Ember Celica there's no chance of you beating me." Pyrrha points out the obvious flaw with Yang's weapon. Yang relies on punches for the most part, and considering her Ember Celica covers her forearms in metal it makes it too easy for Pyrrha to brush away Yang's deadliest attacks. "Plus . . . I'm slightly upset. Jaune and I didn't get the chance to do something the two of us have been practicing."

Pyrrha keeps her smile but holds out her left arm that causes her shield to come back to her and onto her wrist. At the same time she changes her sword into a spear and gives Yang a smile that radiates overconfidence.

"I'm sorry." Pyrrha says to Yang without faltering in her stance.

"For?"

". . . Holding back."

The moment Pyrrha concludes her sentence is when we see the potential of a champion of her caliber. Every move that follows is flawless. No movement wasted and a mixture of her utilizing her weapons multiple forms to the point that she transforms Milo after each attack, forcing Yang to constantly backtrack and have her attacks pushed away by Pyrrha's semblance. During Pyrrha's relentless assault Yang releases a heavy burst of aura that pushes Pyrrha back but Pyrrha tosses her shield in the air and kicks off of it to get right back in Yang's face. It's not until I see Pyrrha duck and give a sudden sweep of Yang's legs that I throw Gambol Shroud and force Pyrrha to take a step back out of surprise at my interference and nothing more.

I've had enough time to build up a decent amount of aura, but my semblance will only handicap me if I use it. With the break between their fighting I look at Yang who is rolling backwards to get to her knees while also building distance from Pyrrha. Along her biceps and triceps I can see a few bruises and even small trickles of red from Pyrrha's alternating pokes, slashes, and gunshots. Yang's taken enough punishment from Pyrrha and I don't plan on sitting by until the very end. Yang's semblance may make her deadlier the longer a fight goes on, but it's useless if she can't even land a hit.

I rake in my blade and begin to twirl and swing the gun-blade around me. In my left hand is the sheathe-cleaver of my weapon. While I keep the blade twirling around me I toss my sheathe into the air and redirect my ribbon to guide the blade to link with the sheathe. The added weight is instantly felt on my ribbon and causing the material to stretch slightly more, increasing the radius of Gambol Shroud's reach which already has Pyrrha's attention. She's still out of my radius, at least that's what I want her to believe for the moment. I have the ribbon on my arm wrapped several times over and secured by a knot on my forearm. I can uncoil it to the point where the radius I can cover will practically double.

Yang's already back on her feet and Pyrrha realizes she now has two people to deal with. Yang's over aggressiveness is enough in itself for most people to fall victim to, but Pyrrha is battle-hardened. She has the experience to keep calm and look for her openings in any situation. I'm not sure of Pyrrha was being that held back by Jaune, or if she was letting him handle the fighting for different reasons, but the Pyrrha I see now is a much bigger threat than before.

"Blake!" The loud scream of my name from Yang makes me turn to her direction immediately in time to see her red-eyed stare. "I got this. Don't push yourself."

I begin spiraling my ribbon around my forearm until it is short enough for me to reach out with my left hand and catch Gambol Shroud by the hilt. Part of me wants to back down and let Yang deal with Pyrrha, but my pride wants me to stay until the very end of the match, despite it just being a spar.

"Idiot . . . who else is gonna keep you from doing something stupid?" I sigh and unwind the ribbon around my arm before placing Gambol Shroud back over my shoulder. My focus switches from Yang back over to Pyrrha who is twirling her spear in her hand idly without taking her eyes off of either of us although we are both far from her striking distance.

Before Yang can respond I notice Pyrrha's twirling stops and her weapon changes into its rifle form. The sudden change surprises me and out of reflex I draw Gambol shroud in its gun form. Pyrrha and I both fire, the result being bullet holes near both of our feet, marking the ricocheted shots from the two of us.

"In a real fight you two won't have time to communicate verbally. I suggest you both get on the same page . . . quickly." Pyrrha's right with her words and as expected comes straight towards me without a second to falter. I switch Gambol Shroud to its blade form in my right hand. With my left hand I reach over my shoulder to hold the cleaver-sheathe in my usual dual-wielding stance: Left arm out front and right hand behind my head as well as slightly above.

Within seconds Pyrrha is at my throat, bashing with her shield, poking with her spear, and incorporating a mixture of kicks in that work in unison with her strikes. Over Pyrrha's shoulder I notice a bright flash and out of instinct I trigger my semblance to form a clone behind my that I use as a platform to vault over Pyrrha and towards Yang. The flash I saw earlier now recognizable as a flash from Ember Celica being fired.

While I am still airborne I watch as Pyrrha notices the shot far too late and takes the explosive round straight to her back. The debris from the explosion remains dense around Pyrrha before it starts to spread out very slowly and allow some sort of visibility through it all. Eventually I see Pyrrha step out with her spear in hand but a lack of her shield. She probably managed to guard at the last second and lost it from the impact.

"You two work wonders as a team. Unfortunately I doubt either of you can win alone. Thank you for the wonderful match, Blake."

_Thank you? She's making it sound like I'm already taken ou-_

I'm interrupted when a powerful force hits me in my right shoulder and sends me flying several feet away. I look in that direction to see Yang with both her arms extended. The light traces of fire in her golden mane as distinct as ever, but from one instant to the next I see them fade and lose their luminous effect. It takes another second for me to see what happened.

As Yang falls forward and collapses to the floor I see Pyrrha's shield drop to the ground along with a small amount of red along the edge of it. Yang stopped me from getting blindsided by Akoúo̱, taking the hit in the process. What I can't fathom is: why didn't Yang protect herself from the hit with her aura? She's been fighting close to Pyrrha's level this entire time and I doubt she'd be able to without her aura. While I try to debate on what happened I'm already running towards Yang. Pyrrha takes notice of the crimson on her shield and places Miló on her back to show her disregard for the battle.

"Yang!" Weiss, Ren, Nora and Jaune (Who I'm surprised to see awake already) shout.

"Sis!" Ruby's high pitched squeal stands out from the rest despite her shouting at the same time as them.

I'm the first to arrive at Yang's side and quickly roll her over and kneel so I can place her head on my lap. The other 6 gather around but make sure to keep their distance to give Yang room to breathe. Her breathing is loud and heavy, although that is normal considering we've been fighting for hours.

"Nora, Ren, get anything you can use as a headrest. Pyrrha, see if the club owner keeps any aura syringes around." Jaune quickly directs his team to gather supplies and Ruby sends out a direction soon after.

"W-Weiss, find ice. I'm gonna call Dad." Ruby answers while she pulls out her scroll and walks away to dial her father.

"How the hell could this happen?" I ask to nobody in particular.

"Isn't aura supposed to protect her from that?" Jaune asks the obvious, but him questioning Yang's aura makes me think back to the fight.

After Yang knocked out Jaune I remember her arms getting cut by Pyrrha's blade, on top of her only using her aura to push Pyrrha away instead of fully activate her semblance. The night has been long for the two of us, and she's put so much weight on her shoulders. I place my hands on Yang's cheeks and move her golden mane away from her face to look at her lidded eyes.

_I can't keep you from doing something stupid if you're doing it before I even notice._

"It is . . . She's been fighting with barely any this entire time.."

* * *

_So, hopefully you all realized who the character was that I introduced. Everybody guessed Winter . . . I thought people would know I am not THAT predictable._

_Oh, if you didn't pick up on it. It was Reese Chloris. If you have no clue who that is just google search the name. She's from the new team from Mistral. Winter will be making her appearance very soon (I'm also going to assume she's the older of the Schnee sisters). As always, give a review and any questions you may have. I always try my best to answer any, whether they be in a review or in a private message. Just ask away!_

_This is also my longest chapter on this story by far, leaving me over 5k. I'm proud of that._

_On a final note, I'm curious if you know which 3 characters are the 'untouchable, unstoppable, and invincible' in this chapter. Comment that in the review!_


	16. Family, Fauna, and Forging

_This was a very dialogue heavy chapter . . .I'm sorry if that bothers you guys . . .that just well . . . sort of happened. Again, I have a chapter that beats 5k words, so enjoy the read xD I did say I would be able to beat 5k as things start laying themselves out.  
_

_The answer to the last chapter was_

_Untouchable: Blake_

_Unstoppable: Yang_

_Invincible: Pyrrha_

_Someone said Jaune was the untouchable, and while it makes sense . . . he still got a right cross._

_There are a few things that happen in this chapter and I think a very interesting chat between Qrow and Taiyang._

_As always, please leave your reviews, questions, opinions or whatever else! I do try to respond when I see anything that requires answering, and I'm usually not a dick to people that ask me stuff . . . unless it's something I feel the need to be dickish about. (Seriously, though, I'm a good guy)._

_Also! **TheDarkenedRose** has officially read up to chapter 39 on my fanfic on Youtube. To put things in perspective, 39 is the last chapter of the 'Cinder Arc' that concludes with Ozpin being the final POV. If you could give him a little support as a personal favor to me (He wrote one of my favorite stories from before I even had a FF account.) Hell, I even took part of my scene where Weiss and Ruby went onto a little island together from him. Not stole it, but the ambiance was inspired by a scene from **The Blackening Rose**._

_Anyway, thank you for those of you that actually read all of this crap . . . How do you do it? By the way, this chapter was supposed to be up before midnight but I started typing this author's note and couldn't stop and now I am looking at the clock and see it is past midnight._

_Sorry again._

* * *

_**Chapter 16 - Family, Fauna, and Forging**_

"And what is it you hope to accomplish, Tai!? There's NOTHING either of us can do."

"Sitting back is doing nothing, Qrow. You think I will sit idly by when I can get answers? She owes all of us answers."

"She did everything on her own! There hasn't been a single time that any of our lives were in danger when we couldn't communicate wordlessly. It only takes a glance between us!"

"That's why we deserve answers, damnit!" I slam my fist on the nearby nightstand. What started off as a calm, respectable conversation between the two of us soon escalated at the mention of Raven and the request I will be making to Will once he makes his return to Schnee Manor.

"You think I don't want answers, Tai? That's my flesh and blood that disappeared! I grew up with her! Don't you think for a second that I don't want to know why she disappeared. She left her daughter. I don't care that she left me. I don't care that she left you. I care that she left her only daughter that was in Signal!" Qrow turns around and punches the nearest wall with a clear restrain on his power. If he didn't hold back that wall would have a sizable hole in it. "Do you know why I stopped focusing on her disappearance? Do you, Tai? Because Summer was there."

"Don't bring her into this, Qrow!" I raise my hand and point towards my brother-in-law. "Don't."

"Why? She was a mother and a half for BOTH of your daughters. She made all of Yang's company feel like part of the family the moment they walked through that door. She did everything a mother, a wife, a friend, and a Huntress could do and then some . . . 'Thus kindly I scatter' "

"QROW!"

" 'Thus kindly . . . I scatter.' When was the last time you went to her grave, Tai? ANSWER ME"

"You know the last time I went there! I can't go back. Not after all of this." I take a deep breath and sit down at the edge of my the queen-sized bed. The room we were given is practically the mirror image of a hotel room. Large television at the far wall, two queen sized beds draped in white covers, bed sheets and pillows with a wooden night stand between the two. I'm seated on mine while Qrow is standing near the corner of the room, unable to keep himself from pacing as he always does when he is stressed or angry.

"Why? Because Ruby is following in her footsteps? Ruby would have become a Huntress no matter what, Tai. I trained her so she wouldn't walk into something she's unprepared for. I even managed to get her to stay close to Yang." Qrow looks at me with a focused stare. He was right in all regards.

"You did, and I'm grateful for it, Qrow. Not to mention they'll be close to Ozpin. He's the only other person I can trust with them." I admit. Ozpin and Qrow have a history. making him someone I am fully willing to trust.

"Look, Tai. I'm not telling you to not look for her. I'm telling you to put that secondary to the family you have. Your daughters are dating two complete opposites, yet they all get along. It's rare, and I'm sure you can tell they're all serious about each other." Qrow walks over towards the other bed and sits directly in front of me. Our earlier yelling turned down to a normal tone.

"What do you mean opposites?" I look at Qrow with a confused look.

"That's right . . . I never told you about Bellafauna."

"BellaDONNA you senile Grim-brain." I shake my head at Qrow's stupidity when it comes to remembering names.

"I've seen her before." He states simply. A somewhat nostalgic smile appearing on his face.

"So? What's the big deal if you've seen her before Yang introduced her?" I ask, also appreciating the change in direction of our conversation.

" 'Queen has pawns'. She was there during that event. She was one of the people that caused a commotion during the entire thing."

"Again, what's the big deal? Ruby was there too you told me. Even one of Ironwood's projects made an appearance." I begin to grow slightly impatient at Qrow's indirectness.

". . . She's former White Fang." Qrow's smile changes to a scoffing smirk as he announces the unbelievable news to me.

"She's . . . a Fang?" The look on my face is humorous enough to Qrow to draw a hearty laugh out of him.

"Yup. You know how I am with visuals. I remember that fighting form, but what did it is her voice on top of howf combat-ready she is despite being the same age as Yang. I realized it when we hopped into the car to head towards Vale. That incident with Mountain Glenn and that team . . . Caffeine was it?"

_I swear . . ._

"C-F-V-Y. Coffee, Qrow. So, why is it that you are so humored that your niece - my daughter - is going out with a Fang?" I lean forward in my seat to keep my voice to a whisper. We're in Schnee Manor after all.

"Former, just like Shun. And I'm humored because the other is dating a Schnee. You can't find some sort of romantic irony in this? Come on, Tai! Where's your sense of humor?" Qrow continues to chuckle and laugh.

"Are you sure she's former?" I don't care about my daughter dating a girl. Neither do I care if that girl's a Faunus. What I do care about is my daughter dating a gang member, no matter what gang it may be.

"She interrupted a huge shipping operation in Vale. She wasn't even with Yang or any of her team at the time so there was no reason for that to be a 'cover up operation' for her. She's clean, Tai. Take my word for it."

"Should we bring it up to her?"

"I suppose. I'll just want to know if the rest of her team is aware. I'll be thoroughly impressed if Rice is aware of it and still happy to be on that team."

He does bring up a good point. For someone of such an anti-Faunus family like the Schnee's to be okay with being near a Faunus is one thing. For one of them to be on a team with a former White Fang member is on an entirely different plain of existence altogether.

"DAMNIT!" Qrow shouts with a loud facepalm. "I never gave Blake my intimidating threat!"

"Don't tell me you did the ' I'll kill you' bit with Weiss. I told you to stop that." I shake my head. Qrow's has this obsession with threatening anybody that goes out with his niece. Up till now it has only been Yang to have her dates threatened since she was the only one out of the two to have a boyfriend/girlfriend. He claims it to be a Rite of Passage.

"I need to do it. If they're fearful after my threat . . . they must be worried about screwing up. If anything is genuine then there's nothing to worry about. After I did the whole lightning thing with my aura she came down and was her normal self. She had my respect right then and there. I'm sure she got yours when you two had your talk in the car."

Qrow smiles my way. It seems him and I both have a positive outlook on Weiss. As a person she is very proper despite being raised in an environment that could encourage her to demoralize others. It appears that she has a calming effect on my daughter which is extremely surprising considering how hyper my youngest can be. I'm overly certain that Weiss will have a good influence on Ruby.

"She carries herself very well." I admit to Qrow. "That's why I'm glad you made certain to come with them"

"Because I'm the world's greatest guardian? Alongside devilishly handsome?" He smirks at me with an accompanying eyebrow wag.

"The only thing devilish about you is your arrogance, and speaking of arrogance . . . Will is due back tomorrow, right?"

"That's what we were told. Hey, what about that girl . . ummm . . . . Splinter?" Qrow's failure with names is slowly getting to me.

"Qrow . . . Let's go get dinner before my empty stomach makes me attack you." I sigh and stand up from the bed to walk towards the door with Qrow not far behind.

"Sounds like a pla- Hey, isn't that your phone going off?"

I pause at the door and listen carefully. The slight chiming ringtone of Ruby's voice repeating the phrase 'I know you're there!' catches my ears. I've had that ringtone for awhile and now it's the tone that goes off anytime Ruby calls me. Yang's is even worse.

I turn around and place a hand on Qrow's shoulder to gesture him aside while I go to the nightstand between the two beds and answer the call.

"What did Yang blow up this time?"

"Dad! Umm, Yang didn't blow up anything. There was this whole competition, and Yang and Blake were involved, and then stuff happened, and Yang beat up like so many people, and it was cool and all but then she had like zero aura during her last fight so she's fighting Pyrrha and Jaune and she's all 'Come at me!' and they're all 'Teamwork!' and Blake's all floppy and sluggy and then there were explosions and Jaune got sent flying and then Pyrrha just went super badass and then Yang got hit with a shield and since she had no aura she started bleeding a bit and we're in the limo coming back to the Manor so could you meet us in the lobby and make sure Yang's okay? Pretty pretty please?"

_How the hell did she say all that in one breath?_

"Is there a lot of blood?"

"Nope."

"Is she breathing okay?"

"Yup."

"Is everyone coming back?"

"Mhm! Oh, and we have friends coming too 'cause well . . . None of us had dinner."

"Alright. I'll wait outside." I sigh. Yang is always a handful and a half. I had a feeling something would come out of her getting to go to a big city like Atlas.

"Yay! Love you, Dad!"

"Love you too, Rosebud." I hang up on the call and look over my shoulder to Qrow who has the room door opened but is leaning against the doorway, patiently waiting for me to finish. "Yang got her ass kicked apparently."

"By who?" Qrow's interest is of course on someone stronger than Yang rather than the fact that his niece was beaten.

"Ummm . . . I think she said 'Jaune and Pyrrha'. " I answer to him and start to walk towards the door. The two of us walk out into the long hallway and turn left to start heading towards the stairwell. As we leave the room we can see Shun coming out of the stairwell with a towel around her neck a different set of clothing on in comparison to what I usually see her in. This time she has on a pair of black jogging pants that change to neon-green flames near the bottom. For a top she is wearing a black tanktop that makes it somewhat easy to make out her sports bra from the side.

"One name rings a bell, but this would be a long ways from Sanctum." Qrow comments before noticing Shun himself. "Turn around, we're going to the lobby!"

"WHAT!? Come on! I just ran through that damn mini-state of a backyard. At least let me lay down!" She protests instantly.

"Nobody told you to go running today." Qrow counters.

"I wanted to see where the hell we'll be fighting. Knowing Sunflower she'll be teaming up with Blake, and Ruby will most likely be looking after Snow Angel." Shun is actually correct in that regard. Those four have been brought up as a team, and are now in two relationships. That will put her at a disadvantage for sure.

"I'm already aware of it. Don't forget you're still older than all of them . . . and I've given you a training regimen that is tougher than what they all do. You have the biggest advantage when it comes to combat experience. Your only problem is getting hit." While Qrow and Shun talk we all continue walking to make our way towards the lobby. However, as I get to the door to the staircase Shun takes two quick steps to go passed me and hold it open for the two of us.

"Thank you." I nod my head to her.

"Yup. Don't mention it." Her way of talking is very odd. Overly casual would be the way to describe it.

"I'll let you have one option or the other. You can either remove ALL of your weights for the match, or you can use your other eye." Qrow's offer peaks my interest. He's never told me what her semblance is, although I have seen the amount of weight she's had to wear in the form of leg weights and sometimes a body vest.

"Ugh! Why can't I use both? Sunflower and Blake were taunting me earlier today. I want to smack 'em hard enough to realize I ain't less of a fighter than them just cause I'm not in some fancy combat school." The displeasure in her voice is clear. It's almost surprising to hear how casually she can talk to Qrow despite her usually calling him 'Mr. Qrow'. It actually makes me curious why she still calls him that despite him hating honorifics. For the most part all of his students drop the 'Mister' part when they graduate as per his request.

"Because you semblance and having your weights off both achieve the same end result. You're more elusive when you use either. You can't rely on your semblance for everything when you have amazing physical prowess, especially considering the side effect whe-"

"That's only when I use my 'fourth stage'!" Before Qrow can even say a word I can hear Shun mutter an apology, possibly for raising her voice.

"If I notice that you are in a situation where you're being teamed up against . . . I'll let you know."

_How is Qrow going to tell Shun she can use her semblance if she's going to be scattered in the backyard with the other four?_

I shrug and add it to my mental checklist to ask Qrow how he plans on doing that. Once we arrive downstairs and exit the stairwell Qrow tells Shun to wait out front for the limo to arrive while Qrow and I stand on the platform against the wall to where the stairs split. To our left and right are the stairs leading upstairs and straight ahead of us the stairs go down and lead towards the front door. I wait until I see Shun walk out the door before I look to my right at Qrow, his right foot is against the wall and his arms are folded while he looks straight ahead.

"Qrow, what the hell is that girl's semblance?" At my question Qrow turns his head towards me with a quirked brow before he looks back at the door. My view of his profile lets me see a slight smirk from him.

"It's pretty unique . . . as all semblances are. Stage 1: Calm, Stage 2: Fear, Stage 3: Dizzy . . . and Stage 4 is nothing like the others." He sighs.

"Clarify."

"Stages 1 and 2 are effective at helping teammates focus or relax. Stage 3 can put anyone to sleep granted they make focused eye contact It's makes you see her in triplets . . . and when you get too confused the brain shuts off to regroup. They'd need to see her pupils change color for it to work and it can only be used with her other eye."

"And why is that?"

"Her other eye for some reason is a different color. If I had to guess she probably has a mix of her parents' semblances. The different color in her irises is possibly genetic, just like Yang's eyes turning red." Qrow's explanation is buyable, but there is still one thing he hasn't explained to me.

"And what is stage four?" I ask with growing interest.

"It's . . . complicated. It's a double-edged sword on top of it requiring a very high amount of concentration."

"Just say it already!" I shout with more impatience than earlier.

"It's complicated like I said. It's . . . It lets her see things . . . but it also makes her see less. It's like . . . she can recognize an attack far quicker, but she has a narrower cone of vision as well as distance she can see."

"So it's an easy counter for Ruby who fights at long range?"

"Precisely. Plus, if Ruby were to fire Crescent Rose at Shun, she'd see the bullet once it's within her range . . . but just because she can see it doesn't mean she'll be able to dodge it."

"And that's why you have her training under weight restriction . . . Not for speed, but to build an explosiveness in her movements so she can accelerate any body part instantly."I state more than ask.

"She'll realize it if she uses it. It's meant to be used with a strong base to support it. I only let her train with her semblance with weights on. She's focused on short range . . . even her weapon lacks a range function . . . or at least it did."

Before I can question Qrow any more I hear the front door get pushed open, drawing my attention towards it to see the Cheetah faunus standing there and waving.

"I saw headlights at the gate. I'm guessing it's them." She speaks in a normal tone, but the extremely high ceiling allows her voice to carry.

"I guess that's my cue." I lean off of the wall and walk down the next flight of steps to make my way towards the door. A few seconds later I hear Qrow call Shun for the two of them to go get something to eat. He knows I am hungry and that is without a doubt his way of taunting me.

As I walk out the front door I see two men climb out of the back seat. One of them wearing very poor armor along with a sword that looks very basic based on the sheath and handle. The second person to climb out has a distinct pink streak in his hair that contrasts greatly to the green tailcoat he favors. Right after the two of them leave a very hyper and giddy girl with orange hair exits. I can't say I agree with her sense in tops. The heart cutout is something I would expect Yang to wear with her love of showing off her body which I used to constantly scold her about.

After the three strangers exit I see Ruby and Weiss climb out, both relieved to see me patiently waiting for the crowd to clear. When my daughter and her girlfriend exit I begin walking up to the group of five and wait for Ruby to introduce me.

"And this is my dad! Dad, this is Ren." She gestures to the man in the green tailcoat.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." He says almost immediately.

"This is Jaune." She gestures to the blonde.

"Jaune Arc, nice to meet you." He says while using his thumb to gesture at himself.

_Jaune . . . of all people he's one half of the duo that beat Yang? He looks . . . average at best. I wonder if that girl is Pyrrha . . ._

"And this is-"

"Oooo. Ruby your dad is so . . . tall!" I pause and look down to see the hyper girl looking up at me with an absent, beyond harmless gaze.

". . . Nora." Ruby concludes after being cut off.

_Definitely not._

"Nice to meet you all," I respond after Ruby's introduction, "My name is Taiyang Xiao Long. I'm Ruby and Yang's father."

With the formalities aside I walk over to the limo to go in and check on Yang, but one more person makes their exit and confirms Qrow's earlier suspicion.

"This is a terrible way to meet. I'm sorry." The flaming haired girl says even before I get a chance to analyze her properly. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is-"

"Pyrrha Nikos . . . a prodigy to say the least." I smile, feeling a lot better to know it took a top tier fighter to knock out my elder daughter.

I give a nod if my head to the apologetic fighter and climb into the limo to see Blake seated facing the door with Yang's head on her lap. The mild worry on her face is noted instantly, but I can tell she has been very calm about it by how relaxed she is when she starts speaking.

"We iced the back of her head to avoid any swelling and gave her an aura syringe. Her breathing is normal too, but there's still a cut on the back of her head." She explains to me and starts to slowly prop Yang up as well as move her hair aside.

"Alright, everyone. Let's get something to eat while Yang is taken care of. Blake'll catch up with us." I can hear Weiss manage the small group to get them away while I work on Yang. I'll make sure to thank her later.

Along the right side in the back of her head is a sizable gash that doesn't go deep enough to be dangerous which makes it a simple routine to heal.

"Why were you sluggish during the battle?" I ask, and before she can question me I explain how I knew about the match. "Ruby said you were sluggish. I'm assuming Yang went into overdrive to make up for it."

"I used up too much aura on my semblance without considering the amount I used throughout the night. I was too fatigued to keep up with her." As she explains I bring both of my hands over Yang's injury and watch as my hands radiate a green hue from it. While I make sure to treat Yang's injury. My silence is from my inability to talk while I am treating someone, and I assume that Blake's is to let me concentrate, which I appreciate.

"She'll be fine . . . let me carry her to-"

"I'm capable of doing it . . . if I may." For once I hear a break in the usual monotone of the faunus girl. It's surprising to say the least.

"If you can carry her up the stairs, no problem. Don't forget she's taller and most likely heavier than you." I mention while I carefully step backwards to crawl out of the limo and gesture for her to let me help get Yang out of the car at the very least.

"I know. This is mostly my fault for not calculating my aura correctly. The least I can do is carry her to our room." She explains and carefully slides Yang along the seat until I can hook my arms underneath her shoulders and tug Yang out. When I get her far enough out the door I switch to holding her over my shoulder until Blake climbs out and after a bit of movement manage to get Yang on Blake's back in a piggyback stance with Yang's arms hanging like dead weight over Blake's shoulders.

"Well, mind if I walk with you? There's something I wanted to talk about with you." I say after recalling my conversation with Qrow earlier.

"Sure." She smiles at me, but I am not so sure that smile will remain.

"Well . . . I'm curious about if you keep any secrets from your teammates." We begin walking through the lobby. As we get to the first flight of stairs I slow down to let Blake walk in front of me just in case she needs help on the stairs.

"None that I can recall, and Yang definitely knows everything about me." She says with confidence and a winded exhale as she gets past the first flight and climbs the stairs to her left to make it to the second floor.

"Does she know of your previous . . . 'occupation'?" I make sure to choose my words carefully. The question makes Blake freeze in the middle of the staircase and look over her shoulder at me. The uncertainty as to how much I know apparent on her face.

". . . Excuse me?"

"Qrow was at the shipyard incident. Apparently your voice and your 'combat-readiness' made him realize it was you that day. I don't know what went on, but I will not discriminate against you for that. I just want to know if my daughters and Weiss are aware." I explain as carefully as I can. I walk by Blake to get her to continue up the stairs while I go on ahead to hold open the door to the stairwell for her to go through.

"They know. They knew three days before that incident. Weiss was the one to give the loudest objection. I'm surprised she didn't report me to the police or try to get me kicked out of Beacon."

_It's extremely surprising for a Schnee._

"That's all I'm concerned about. Look, if you need to talk about anything . . . and I mean _anything . . . _Qrow and myself aren't that difficult to open up to. He'll be more humorous about it all, and I'll be more sincere, but neither of us will judge. We've seen a lot of things, heard a lot of things, and dealt with too many diverse situations to be surprised by much these days." I nod my head, but after a moment I pause and realize I should add something. "Just, um . . . nothing related to female anatomy . . . There are some barriers a man will not cross."

"Not a problem." Blake snickers a few times while we continue to climb the steps. "Thank you. Should I start calling you Dad?"

"Let's give that one a few years." I shake my head at her ability to return a joke at a moment's notice. As we reach our floor I slide past her to open the door once more. "Also, who were those other four? I only knew one of them, of course."

"That's Team Juniper. Abbreviated: JNPR. The blonde you met is their leader, and he's partners with Pyrrha. The other two are Nora and Ren, they're childhood friends. I'm sure you can tell they're complete opposites personality wise."

"She's unique . . .to say the least." I admit without wanting to be rude about a person I have only just met. We are nearing what I assume to be their room after noticing the unique emblem on the wall that has a flame around it. Anything fire-related has to do with Yang based on personal experiences. I speed up to get to the door before Blake. I reach out and twist the handle before pushing the door open and allowing my daughter's girlfriend to walk by, but she only stands at the doorway.

"I've made my mistake already. I thought I had a family. As a matter of fact, they were a family . . . a misguided family." She turns her head to look at me with a stare that could either break into a rage or burst into tears. "Yang's been patient with me, kind, understanding, and open about everything. Ruby's been like a little sister to me, even Weiss has shown her concern at times. This is where I belong."

Blake keeps staring at me for a few more seconds before she walks inside. After she does I close the door and start walking back down the hallway until I get to the three-way intersection where the stairwell is, but right as I reach the corner and turn left to open the door I hear a voice.

"I can relate to her y'know." I turn around to notice Shun with her arms folded, leaning against the wall perpendicular to the wing that all our rooms reside in. "I had two families: One through a mistake, and the other through blood."

I turn around and look at the cheetah faunus while her eyes remain downcast in an empty stare to the carpet.

"I met Sunflower and everything was right. You were cool, she was cool. Little Rubes was a firecracker. Mr. Qrow was . . .Mr. Qrow. I felt like that was where I belonged . . . I couldn't hold her down, though." She leans off of the wall and walks towards mme. As she reaches me she turns sideways and slides past me to go through the door, whispering something to me that almost freezes me in place. "Mr. Qrow's been the father I never had. Who knows if Blake had one."

_I need a drink . . . _

I take a deep breath and go down the steps. By the time I enter the stairwell I can already hear the door at the bottom being opened. When I get to the bottom I arrive just in time to see Qrow walking towards the door with Sebastian leading the way. I decide not to question him on where he is going and instead walk down to the lobby, turning left when I am facing the door to head towards the dining room I recall seeing while Qrow and I were exploring the house.

I've learned that the house from overhead is the shape of an H. The bottom left side of the H being where the girls are sleeping. The top left of the H is where Qrow, myself, and Shun are all sleeping. In the top right of the H on the first floor is a sparring room, and sitting in the center of the H on the first floor is the world's largest dining hall.

I walk to the end of the hallway until I am forced to either turn left or right. I make my left turn and continue until I spot large, wooden double doors that I push into and come across the familiar sight of the large tiled room with darkened walls and dim lighting. In the center of the room is a rather long dinner table that I expected to only exist in movies but I was proven wrong by the wealth of Schnee Manor. At that table I see an empty chair at the very end with the small group sitting near it.

"Dad!" Ruby calls when she notices me.

"You all ate yet?" I ask out of curiosity and take the empty seat at the edge of the table. The table itself has a white drape over it with silverware set up in front of each person. To my right is Ruby and Weiss, and to my left are Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora and Ren in that order. I notice there is an extra plate and silverware next to Weiss which I assume to be Shun's while I have Qrow's seat.

"The chef was caught off guard by Nora's pancake request . . . He went to get batter which he usually does early in the morning." Weiss explains with a shake of her head.

_She's definitely an odd one . . . _

"Oh, why did Qrow take off?" I ask, figuring the chair I am sitting in now is his and he seemed eager to eat. At my question Ruby and Weiss look at each other until Ruby is the one to look at me and speak up.

"Well . . . there's this museum in Atlas that well . . . it has a weapon that has his signature on it."

"Since when does Qrow signature his weapons?"

". . . Exactly." Weiss is the one to answer this time. It takes me a second to realize what they are saying but when I catch on I realize why Qrow would push aside dinner. He's extremely prideful about his name, and above all he never allows his work to be known. If something is made or modified by him, nobody will know unless they specialize in noticing his work. If anything, most of the weapons that are known to have been assisted by him come from graduates of Signal Academy.

". . . I hope he doesn't break anything."


	17. Accommodations, Addled, and Alert

_**So, a pissed Uncle Qrow is off to the museum with a calm Sebastian.**_

_**Team JNPR is now in Schnee Manor for the night. **_

_**Yang is KO'd and with Blake.**_

_**All we're missing now is Mr Schnee . . . Hm**_

* * *

_**Chapter 17 - Accommodations, Addled, and Alert**_

"And that's pretty much what happened." I conclude just in time for the food to arrive.

Placed in front of Ren is a bowl of ramen per his request, as well as chopsticks to go along with it. Pyrrha and Jaune both asked for the same thing out of courtesy for the chef. Nora, being the odd one of her team, asked for a 'fat stack of syrupy pancakes' that she was given in the form of 12 pancakes that take up the full-sized plate in a straight tower of batter. On the very top of it is a very heavy dose of butter.

In front of me I am given a bowl of salad with cubed pieces of fish tossed in as well as croutons. Ruby went the cautious way and asked for something you can't mess up on making no matter what: A well-done cheeseburger and french fries.

Shun came by earlier, a few seconds before Mr. Xiao Long arrived and asked if her food could be sent to her room, although that was after a lengthy debate about how much the meal would cost in a restaurant. It's odd how quick she is to _not_ accept something.

For Blake, I asked for a fish burger to be made and sent to the room just in case she is still remembering the night at Xiao Long residence when I took the only fish patty that was available. Of course I didn't forget Yang. Knowing just how much that barbarian can eat I took the liberty of having a very large sub sandwich crafted for her with pretty much everything a sandwich should have, aside from the kitchen sink. It's a meal that I would never take the liberty of eating myself, but I know Yang will thoroughly enjoy it.

"So, you two told Qrow you saw something with his autograph in a museum and before you can say anything else he took off? . . . That's definitely his reaction." Mr. Xiao Long nods his head and shrugs.

"Ruby was extremely upset about it. Especially considering the resemblance to Crescent Rose." While we speak, I keep my hand on the table between Ruby and myself (who is to my right). When she is not eating her burger I can feel her fingers drop onto mine when she realizes that is the whole purpose of my hand being there.

"Woah, woah, woah." Mr. Xiao Long looks at me with a raised eyebrow, confusion and uncertainty prominent in his gaze. "It was a scythe? A lighter version of Ruby's scythe?"

"If it is actually lighter or not i don't know, but it was certainly less bulky." I take the liberty to explain while Ruby is happily eating her food with her other hand.

"This isn't good . . . That sounds like it resembles Qrow's weapon . . . at least the one he favored most. I need to call him." Mr. Xiao Long lets out a more annoyed sigh than worried. As quick as he came and sat down, he is back on his feet and walking out the door.

"Your family is quite . . . different, Ruby." Pyrrha speaks up with a smile. "Your father and uncle are completely different. He seemed more interested in learning how I am capable of transforming Milo more than anything."

"My uncle is where I learned about weapons from. I bet you somewhere he replicated Milo and is wondering how do it. Actually . . . how DO you do it?" Ruby asks with a strike of realization at her own lack of knowledge.

"My semblance, actually. It wouldn't be a big deal to include an active button or some sort of mechanism to transform Milo, but by having it linked to my semblance it makes it relatively useless in the hands of others." She explains.

"Psh, and Pyrrha likes to go all wam bam! Shield throw!" We all look to the screaming Nora who picks up one of the smaller plates given to her for her syrup and flings it over her shoulder like a frisby. We all look on to see it heading straight for the door that leads to the hallway, but halfway through its flight path the door is pushed open and Shun steps in just in time to see the flying disk. She raises both of her hands, one on top of the other in open palms before pressing them to her forehead to guard the incoming plate that shatters after hitting her palms.

Immediately after she steps into the room she starts violently cursing and holding her palms to her chest in clear pain. Ruby is the first to get up and semblance her way to Shun who is still screaming and taking her frustrations out through a colorful vocabulary. Pyrrha is the second to get up and start walking towards the duo while Jaune and I are the last to follow, leaving Ren to keep Nora away to avoid any more accidents with the porcelain plates.

"Who the fuck throws a plate in a damn mansion!? Who's the smartass!?" Shun growls and pushes Ruby away when she tries to see the damage. "Leave me alone, kid."

"Shun, stop being a stubborn cat and let us see if you're cut." I snap after she pushes Ruby away.

"I'm fine!" she screams, but i notice red dripping from her left palm.

"Then let me see your hand." I walk up to Shun and take a forceful hold of her left wrist to look at her bloodied palm with a few shards of porcelain in it. "Look. You're not okay. Sebastian!"

"Wait, didn't he take Uncle Qro-" Ruby begins, but she is quickly cut off by another voice.

"Yes, Weiss?" I peek over my shoulder to see him standing there with that usual smile of his.

"A first aid kit would be wonderful."

"I'll get one right away." He responds and leaves the room without another word.

"I hate to be the skeptic . . . but why didn't you use your aura?" Pyrrha asked the obvious question.

"She can't use her aura to defend for some reason." Ruby explains.

"Perhaps it's locked? I could always-" Pyrrha begins but Shun rudely interrupts.

"My aura's not locked. I can use my semblance fine."

I sigh and move directly in front of Shun while taking a knee. I can also see a small trickle of blood dripping down from underneath her bangs that hide her right eye. WIthout a word I raise my left hand to move her hair out of the way to check the damage but her right hand is quick to grab my wrist and stop me.

"It's fine . . . just leave it be." She stares me down with her orange iris but I am not having any of it. I twist my wrist far enough to face my palm towards her forearm and form a glyph that starts to slowly push against her wrist until she is forced to let go of my wrist and give me the chance to move her bangs out of the way to see her other eye.

I am met with the surprise on the difference between her two eyes. While her left one is orange along the outer part of the iris and fades to a yellow as it reaches her pupil. Her right eye is green and changes to a bluish color while it approaches her pupil. On top of that, her pupil itself is slitted more like a cat's. However, once I look into her eye I see the blue begin to slightly overlap the green, causing me to shake my head rapidly and look away.

"I told you not to."Shun growls while I slowly work to my feet and try to find a steady foothold on the shaking floor below me. I was fine just a second ago, but now I feel my stomach churning and everything spinning but slowly stabilizing out. "Sit down before you fall over."

"What did you do to me you ungrateful miscriant?" I look towards her while I lower to my knees, but not before lifting my skirt slightly to avoid brushing it on the ground.

"Taught you a lesson for not listening to me. I'm going back upstairs . . . You'll feel better in a minute or two." She stands up slowly and starts to walk out, but as she does I see her stumble a moment and continue on her way. It doesn't seem like she had any head damage (aside from the cut) based on the look in her eyes, which makes that stumble out of context.

"Ugh . . . All of you eat . . . I'll be right back." I say while stumbling to my feet and moving to the door. Ruby as always is quick to lend me a hand but I give her a stare that lets her know her assistance is not needed.

I walk towards the door leading into the hallway to pursue the faunus in retreat. Once in the hallway I call her name to get her attention just before she turns the corner to enter the lobby. She walks surprisingly fast to cover that distance.

When she notices me she stands at the edge of the hallway with her arms folded, gesturing for me to walk towards her.

_You know I can't walk straight you ignoramus! _

"I'm not waiting here forever, Snow Angel."

_She's beyond an ignoramus at this point._

I place my left hand on the nearby wall and lean by body against it while I walk. The more I walk, however, the more dizzy I begin to feel until the hallway in front of me is doing half spins to the left and right to further disorient me. I'm not even halfway down the hallway when I stop moving and try to look to see how much further I need to walk and the distance seems so overwhelming.

"Can you stop being so stubborn? Sit still and let it wear off!"

"Don't you DARE talk to me about being stubborn!" I grit my teeth and continue down the hallway. Despite the constant movement of the floor and walls I am able to get several meters away from the cheetah faunus before I am incapable of keeping myself balanced and start to fall over until Shun catches me mid-fall.

"I'm not the one forcing myself to walk." She counters.

"You came back for a reason. What did you want?" I change the topic while asking the question I wanted to.

"I wanted Mr. Qrow's food wrapped up and put in his room. He said he'll be back in no time."

"I'll take care of it . . . now . . .what the hell did you do to me?"

"It's a part of my semblance . . . Just umm . . . don't tell Mr. Qrow . . . please?" My vision starts to clear a little bit thanks to not moving. The look I am now able to see in her face is of absolute worry. She's probably not supposed to be using her other eye as part of her restrictions to go along with the weights she usually has on.

"I didn't plan on it. How about you eat with us? Socializing never hurt anybody."

"Socializing isn't my thing. Nothing against you or your buddies . . . I just enjoy being alone." She offers me a smile and drops her left hand on my head, ruffling my head like I'm some sort of little kid.

"I'm not a child." My statement earns an odd look from her that is answered when I brush her wrist off of my head. The slight motion reminds me that I'm still slightly unbalanced when it causes me to take the precaution of replanting my feet.

"Maybe not, but I'm the oldest one out of the four of you." Her response raises the obvious question.

"Wait, how ol-"

"You never ask a woman her age. Even you should know that." Right after she says that she turns around and starts to walk again with her hand raised in the air to give her farewell for the time being.

I decide to take her advice and sit myself down in the hallway to wait for the effects of her semblance to wear off, and just as she said it does when I keep still. After I am not under the dizzying effect I walk back to the dining room to rejoin Ruby and Team JNPR with all of them practically done with their food.

"Everything go well?" Ren is the first to question.

"She's stubborn." I answer and sit down to eat my food while the other 5 patiently wait me to finish. All the while they converse about what they have been doing so far over the break. It seems Jaune and Pyrrha are much closer, but still not an official couple based on Jaune constantly referring to Mistral's best fighter as his 'best friend'. I feel bad for Pyrrha being stuck in that dreaded zone.

After I am done eating and all our plates are taken away the six of us go upstairs through the usual starwell I use to get back to my room, but instead of going into the long hallway of bedrooms I lead Team JNPR across the perpendicular hallway to the other wing of my home where two rooms have been arranged adjacent to each other for the four of them to use and choose who will sleep with who.

"I couldn't make any special accommodations since this was all last minute. If you need anything just call my scroll, I'm right in the other wing with the rest of the team." I explain. Pyrrha is the one to speak up for her team on the matter.

"This'll do wonderfully, Weiss. Thank you."

"So ummm . . . I guess me and Ren share a room? Or . . . ?" Jaune questions, and on that note I turn around to leave with Ruby at my side. Jaune's suggestion of staying with Ren makes me pity Pyrrha further. The guy is so clueless. You took her to the dance, does that mean nothing to you?

Although, I guess I should somewhat commend him for not taking the dance as a relationship-binding event. Even though it is obvious the reason Pyrrha wanted to go with him was more than the fact that they're teammates.

"So, Princess! What's up for the rest of the evening?" Ruby skips in front of me and starts to walk backwards.

"There's plenty to do. We have a large movie room, a ballroom, a pool-"

"You have a pool!?" Ruby's eyes light up at the fact that a mansion as large as mine would have a pool. I figured that would be everyone's first assumption.

"It's on the second floor. Did you even bring a bathing suit?" My question quickly empties her hopes when she realizes she didn't.

"No . . ."

"I swear . . . I'll see if there's anything that fits you." I shake my head and gesture for Ruby to turn when she enters the 3-way intersection. On our way down the hallway I look at the emblem that marks Blake and Yang's room, debating if I should check up on the two.

"I wonder if Yang's alright." Ruby's outloud thought makes up my mind on the matter.

"I'll knock."

Ruby is already past the door and has to stop her backtracking to walk back towards it while I knock. There's a little bit of shuffling on the other side, but soon enough I feel a slight vibration in the carpet from someone landing on the floor firmly.

"Who is it?" Blake's voice calls out from the other side.

"The royal Princess and her favorite flower!" Ruby calls out before I have a chance to say anything. Her explanation on who is at the door forces me to look at her with a stare that radiates the question, 'really?'.

In no time Blake opens the door, but I am caught slightly off guard at the fact that she's already made herself extremely comfortable and is in a purple bra and black underwear. She keeps her right arm resting on the wall and her left keeping the door open while she looks at the two of us.

"What's up?"

"How's Yang doing?" I ask, while leaning to the side to peak in. When I do I see Yang sit up in the bed, most likely hearing me ask about her.

"Awww, you care! Come gimme a hug!" Yang shouts out her request and hops out of the bed. Aside from her back breaking strength, I'm hesitant to hug her out of the fact that she's in a similar attire as Blake. The tall blonde comes walking to the door where our team's faunus steps out of the way to let Yang into the hallway with her arms wide apart to welcome me into a caring (and deadly) embrace that I continue to back away to retreat from.

"Y-Yang! Get back into your room and put some clothes on! Ruby, help me!" I look over Yang's shoulder while I continue to back away, only to see Ruby snickering and laughing with a hand over her mouth.

"Come on! Give me a hug, Weiss! It'll be a gentle one!" Yang continues to advance towards me until eventually I stumble on my feet just enough for her to close the gap and grab me in her arms while also lifting me off the ground. Thankfully her hug isn't as lethal as it was earlier today, but I rather it be lethal and have her more properly clothed than to be hugging Yang in her current attire.

"Blake! Get her off of me!" I scream in protest. All I can hear after my demand are the two girls laughing their heads off at the display.

"Come on! Hug me back, Weiss! I'm not letting go until I get a hug from my baby sis' little 'Princess'." Yang seems to be a lot more affectionate than usual. Especially since she is showing this side of her to me of all people. I'm not sure if I am fine with this side of her, or if I prefer her more annoying and hostile attitude. With no other option I wrap my arms around Yang's shoulders to return her gesture. Surprisingly I am let down almost immediately.

"Blake told me what you did." Yang states flatly with a brighter smile on her face.

"Excuse me?"

"The club."

"Oh . . . that."

* * *

_**(Post Chapter 15)**_

"What do you mean she can't get her pay?" I growl, looking at Jiu Xiong with my piercing stare that he shrugs off.

"Her match was never finished. Blake was still up and so was Miss Redhead." He explains while folding his arms.

After Yang's injury and all the proper precautions were taken I decided to collect what she is owed after getting a brief explanation of what was taking place when I paid for Pyrrha and Jaune's fight purse.

"She went through how many people today?"

"I'd say close to the 30s if not more."

"Wasn't her deal to be paid per bout?"

"If she was awake I'd be more than happy to talk about our deal, but last time I checked she's sleeping like a baby." He smirks at me and leans the cane up against the nearby bar.

"Anything wrong, Weiss?"

I look over my shoulder to see Pyrrha and Nora walking towards me. I look past them to see that Ren and Jaune are carrying Yang outside, most likely to the limo so we can start leaving immediately.

"He's trying to cheat Yang and Blake out of their earnings." I explain in the simplest way.

Before Pyrrha can talk Nora smirks and reaches over her shoulder for her grenade launcher that she changes into a hammer with a smirk on her face.

"Hey! One move and we'll be surrounded by Atlesian Knights. Try me." He grabs his cane with his right hand and flicks the top open, exposing a small red button that his thumb hovers over.

Nora, understanding the situation puts her hammer back over her shoulder. The three of us exchange a few glares and with my nod, Pyrrha triggers her semblance to pull the cane out of his grip. At the same time I draw Myrtenaster and hold the tip right to his neck with a scowl on my face.

"Now . . . I'm sure you know the SDC can make anyone . . . and I mean ANYONE . . . disappear. Let's not have to put this place under new management." It's a clear bluff, but thankfully I have always been convincing when I want to be. It's quite the talent.

"Hey, hey, hey. No need to get hostile now. W-Would you look at that . . . I . . . I have her payment right in my pocket." He starts to chuckle nervously while reaching into his right pocket to pull out a tightly held stack of lien cards that he holds out to me.

"Is this ALL of it?" I ask, pressing Myrtenaster upward just enough to prick him while I take the cards from his hand.

"Y-Yeah . . . We're alright now, right?"

I lower my blade from his neck and place the cards in my pocket to give to Blake later. Pyrrha gives me his cane that I keep in my hand to avoid him using it. The three of us turn around and start walking away, but out of spite and anger at almost having my teammate cheated, I look at Nora who looks back with a smirk. She knows exactly what I am going to say based on my look.

". . . Break his legs."

Nora quickly turns around and starts to dash towards Jiu while Pyrrha and I continue to walk, paying no mind to the excited giggles of Nora and the horrified screams of Jiu Xiong.

"You think she'll break 'em on the first hit?" I look at Pyrrha with a question on her teammates accuracy.

"Nora? She's good at aiming her hammer." Pyrrha assures me right before the two of us tune in to the noise behind us.

"Woah, woah, woah! Not the legs! not the-"

"Ker-SMASH!" Nora shouts and the screams of pain follow immediately after.

The two of us are unphased by the screams and instead continue to walk out the club, a skipping Nora catching up to us with her Magnhild held behind her back with both hands. The long handle of the weapon running parallel to the floor while she skips and hums in clear content after getting to break someone's legs.

* * *

_**(Present)**_

"Just . . . spend that responsibly." I quickly walk past her and start to walk towards my room with Ruby following. The moment I push my room door open Ruby kicks off her shoes and dives onto my bed with her arms spread out and her face lost in the sheets. In the meantime I sit at the edge of my bed and take off my heels while also taking the time to rub both of my achilles. A mild soreness in them from walking around so much.

"I think that was the first time Yang genuinely wanted to hug you." Ruby snickers.

"She was more interested in making me feel awkward . . . and she got what she wanted." I groan. The hug itself wasn't bad, it was her lack of clothing that made it so.

"Yang can make you feel uncomfortable in a bajillion ways. I doubt she'd use a hug when she has so many more options." I feel a shuffling on the bed, eventually having Ruby seated behind me with her arms and legs wrapped around my waist and torso. "Come on! Yang's hugs are amazing! They're so warm and soft, and you feel so safe! Admit it!"

_It was pleasant aside from the obvious._

"I will _NOT_ admit to something so outrageous!" I answer in contrast to my thought only milliseconds ago.

"Blake was right . . . you're a super tsundere!"

"I will never understand you two and your cartoons!" I counter.

"Anime!" Ruby shoots back and silences my next complaint with a nip to my earlobe.

"I swear you- . . . st-stop that you . . . DOLT!" I shout the last word much louder than intended thanks to Ruby giving a second nip to the same area at the exact same time. Before I can lean back and sandwich her between myself and the bed however, my scroll goes off and Ruby lets go immediately, knowing better than to stop me from answering it.

I reach into my pocket and pull out the scroll, surprised to see who it is and instead of a call it's a simple text.

"_Heard you're home. Came back a day early. See you soon."_


	18. Unknown Visitor

_**Oh mah gawd I'm a day early! GASP!**_

_**There's been some weird stuff going on with FF. For the passed 10 days it's said I've had 0 views on all of my works . . . I mean, it's possible, but you guys love re-reading right? Especially since I updated Ninjas of Love, and The Alignment of Falling Stars . . . right? Q.Q**_

_**But, looks like it fixed, and I would have had this chapter up earlier but since last night I couldn't go to my profile. I could open up FF and all, but if I clicked on my account name I got an error message each time. Anyway!**_

_**So, here is chapter 18, and I guess it also qualifies as a 'teaser' for a few reasons which I will not be saying since it will ruin the surprise!**_

_**I started this chapter completely different than my other ones. Honestly, the way I started this one is personally my favorite. This is like . . .my favorite chapter for this story only because I feel so clever with how I opened it up!**_

_**As always, leave a review and let me know what you think.**_

_**Also, yes . . .it's short compared to my recent chapters. Still, 3k is a standard for me. I can't get 5k every time.**_

* * *

**Chapter 18 - Unknown Visitor**

_I'm sorry!_

_Do you have any spots left on your team?_

_For it is in passing that we achieve immortality, through this we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee._

_Jaune, you know if you ever need help, you can just ask_

_You know, I really will break his legs._

_Jaune, everybody needs a little push from time to time. It doesn't make you any different from the rest of us. You made it to Beacon! That speaks volumes of what you're capable of!_

_Then let me help you!_

_Your team really misses their leader, you know._

_Your stance is all wrong. You need to be wider and lower to the ground._

_Come on! I know you get frustrated, but you must keep trying._

_Well, I believe the saying goes: "There's... plenty of fish in the sea."_

_You can't get it wrong if it's the truth. _

_I've been blessed with incredible talents and opportunities; I'm constantly surrounded by love and praise; but when you're placed on a pedestal like that for so long, you become separated from the people that put you there in the first place. Everyone assumes I'm too good for them - that I'm on a level that they simply can't attain. It's become impossible to form any sort of meaningful relationship with people. That's what I like about you: when we met, you didn't even know my name; you treated me like anyone else. And thanks to you, I've made friendships that will last a lifetime. I guess, you're the kind of guy I wish I was here with - someone who just saw me for me._

_JAUNE!_

It's been like this for awhile now. I try to sleep and all I think of is her. Throughout the night, fighting into the morning. Even in the late afternoon when I try to catch up on the sleep I missed, I think about her. I gave up on Weiss the moment I saw her and Ruby kiss. It's clear it wasn't meant to be, but after all this time I can't get Pyrrha out of my head.

I thought if I accept the fact that we're just friends that everything would fall into place, but these dreams continue to get more aggressive. First it would be her voice, and only her voice. Then after a few days I will start recalling the memories through brief flashes, and now . . . now I am recalling them perfectly.

"Jaune." I turn my head to my right to see Ren sitting up at the edge of the bed with a concerned look on his face. "Same one?"

". . . Yeah." I sit up from my side of the bed and place my forehead against my hands to use it has a headrest. "It's only been getting worse, too. Ren, I don't know what to do. I can't get sleep anymore."

"I've told you this before, Jaune. Talk to her. Communication is key in many things. You're our leader. You should be the easiest to communicate with."

"It's not that easy. It makes it even more awkward _because_ I'm the leader. I mean . . . what do I even say? 'Pyrrha, this is your team leader and I want a date with you'? I know I took her to prom and everything, but well . . . I dunno. Pyrrha's always had my back. She's helped me get stronger. She offers amazing advice. What happens if I bring it up and it just makes everything awkward between us and the rest of the team? I gotta put the team before everything . . . It's like Ruby told me '_We have to put our teammates first, and ourselves second.'_ It's my job as leader."

I gaze about the room, noting the tan walls, white dresser and nightstand, as well as the white bedsheets, and pillows. The only thing I can see that is not white are the light blue doors of the room. One being the bathroom door and the other that leads out into the hallway. I give a kick of my legs to turn myself so I can place my feet on the ground and stand up. I look down at the tan carpet that matches the walls very well. To the right of my feet are my shoes that I put on pretty quickly and settle for hiding the laces in the sides rather than taking the time to properly tie them. I don't plan on going far.

"Going far?"

"Just for a walk . . . I'll probably get lost and then try to make my way back." I assure.

"Just be careful . . . there's definitely no directory here." Ren comments. I wish Ruby hadn't told everyone about that.

"Very funny, Ren." While I am saying that I find his scroll on the nearby dresser instead of mine. When I open it I look for Nora's name and send a very quick text to her before leaving the room.

"Good luck, Ren!" I shout just before closing the door.

To my left is Pyrrha and Nora's room, along with the perpendicular hallway that connects this side to the other wing. To my right is the shorter walk to the end that I decide to take. About halfway down the long hallway I can hear heavy footsteps step into the hallway followed by the opening and slamming of a door.

_Just cause I'm a team leader doesn't mean I can't have a little revenge-prank once in a while. Besides . . . he ate the last bit of my Pumpkin Pete's cereal. I never forget something like that. _

As I reach the end of the hallway I find one door in front of me that is partially made of glass. Through the glass it lets in the shining moonlight. I walk to the door and gently push it open to find the area is a patio of some sort, and in front of me is a fountain with a road circling around it. Based on my position it looks like I am above and to the left of the main door into the mansion.

"What will she see in you, anyway?" I ask myself. "I faked my way into Beacon, I needed her to unlock my aura. Hell, Yang took me out the fight with one punch today. Someone as elite as she is doesn't have time for . . ." Right before I complete that sentence I can hear her voice in my head. Something she said long ago, but I can recall it without any problems.

_Everyone assumes I'm too good for them - that I'm on a level that they simply can't attain. It's become impossible to form any sort of meaningful relationship with people._

"Yeah . . . but she wouldn't say that to someone she's interested in . . . I mean . . . she encouraged you to talk to Weiss. That's the seal right there. Right?" My self-to-self conversation continues on for awhile until the sound of a car engine disrupts me. I trace along the road, starting from the fountain and working towards the front gate until I spot the large, white limo that is somewhere in between and making its way towards the fountain.

_Is Ruby's uncle back?_

I watch with interest when the stretch limo pulls up to the walkway, but it isn't Sebastian that leaves the driver's seat. Instead it's some short guy in a black suit. I watch as he makes his way around towards the passenger door and pulls it open, but before I can see who it is that exits, a voice calls out to me.

"Jaune?" I turn around immediately to see Pyrrha standing in the doorway. She's still wearing most of her combat outfit, but she isn't wearing the bronze circlet over her forehead, or the gorget that keeps her neck shoulder blades covered.

"Hey! What um, y'know. What are . . . Great weather out tonight!" I finally answer, not wanting to ask what she's doing here since it would make her feel I'm trying to avoid her or something.

"It is. Ren messaged Nora saying he was lonely and wanted to cuddle since you went for a long walk." She places her fingers over her lips to muffle a few giggles while she recalls what happened. "Nora almost left the room without her shirt on. She was just about to finish changing into her shorts and that shirt of hers."

"I hope you got her shirt on." I blink, not once would I wish a topless Nora onto him.

"I did say _almost._ I wouldn't let Nora do that."

"I'm sure Ren is thankful." I gulp.

"But . . . when Nora left I looked at her scroll . . . and there's only one person that does the colon-hyphen-parenthesis smiley face . . . and it's not Ren."

_I should've known she caught on._

"Well . . . cat's out the bag . . . hehehehe" I begin scratching the back of my head. It's then that I realize I didn't see who got out the limo but by the time I turn around to look, the limo is gone and there's not a single trace of anybody being nearby.

"Something troubling you?" I turn my head back to Pyrrha who steps out to look over the balcony with me.

"There was a limo there. I didn't get to see who got out." I explain.

"Ruby's uncle, maybe?"

"I saw the driver. Couldn't have been him unless he came back with a different person."

"Hm . . . Well, there's only one way to find out." Pyrrha gives me a smile while she holds onto the banister with both hands. By the way she crouches down and leans back without letting go, I realize she plans on vaulting over for the four story drop.

"Um . . . I don't think I can make that jump."

"Then just do what I do, Jaune!"

I watch as Pyrrha hops over the banister and lands on the other side. WIthout another word she jumps backwards slightly and lets herself drop. I run to the edge to look down and see she is hanging by her fingertips on the edge of the balcony and swings herself forward to disappear underneath somewhere.

"There's a metal gate over the windows here, Jaune! You can swing and drop!"

I continue to lean over the balcony to eventually see Pyrrha standing on the grass below. A few meters away from the roadway that leads to the front door.

"Pyrrha . . . I don't parkour. Did you forget that you were my landing strategy during initiation?" I shake my head at how effortlessly she just did all of that.

"Then . . . I'll be your landing strategy again." She smiles up at me and holds out her arms with excessive confidence.

"Pyrrha you want . . . you're going to . . . wait, what?"

"Jump. I'm right here."

"Pyrrha, I'm not gonna jump."

"Do you think I'd drop you?"

"You could probably catch me with one arm." I counter, letting her know I believe immensely in her strength, but yet again my own words start to backfire.

"Then I'll catch you with one arm. Think of it as a trust fall." She continues to prod for me to jump, and as usual I'm helpless to her requests. The way she says things and asks in such an overly polite manner eats away at my personality. I was raised with seven sisters, and that turned me into a 'proper gentleman' as my mom would say multiple times over. That, and a pretty good dancer.

"I'm sure you can catch me with one arm . . . but . . . would using both arms be out of the question?" I find myself negotiating the terms of the jump when I was completely against it a few seconds ago.

My question gets a simple nod from Pyrrha, and without an option out of the matter I climb over the banister and stand on the very edge of the balcony, looking down at the four story drop between me and Pyrrha. I then focus onto her and see her eyes glancing at me. She doesn't blink or move, and instead continues to wait for me to jump.

"Alright . . . here I come." I whisper to no one in particular. I begin to lean forward, holding the banister still while I ponder how should I fall so Pyrrha will have the easiest time catching me.

_She did say treat it like a trust fall . . . _

I take a deep breath and swing myself around to face the balcony door. I take one last strong inhale before I close my eyes, lean back and let go of the balcony, cringing as the wind starts to pick up on my back. The fall feels much longer than what it truly is, and to add to it my back starts to tingle and feel numb with the anticipation of meeting the grassy field below in a very painful impact. Finally my curiosity gets the better of me and I open my eyes to see the balcony I dropped from slowly getting smaller.

I then look over my shoulder, seeing the bright green of the grass, but more importantly I see Pyrrha smiling at me with both of her arms extended, and just like that she catches me in a cradle while bending her legs to lessen the impact. As usual she has some sort of perfect form to avoid injuring herself, and right after she dips from catching me, she straightens herself out and slingshots me off of her arms a few feet, leaving me to twist my body and land on my feet.

"See? That wasn't so bad." Pyrrha gives me one of her 'told you so' looks before we make our way to the front door to see who came in.

Thanks to me taking a while to jump - okay, _fall _-down, whoever it was that came in is already through the lobby and nowhere to be seen. Pyrrha and I consider splitting up, but then figure it may be best to follow the path Weiss used to guide us to our rooms and search that hallway she said that her entire team is staying in so we can ask what is going on.

We get to the stairwell, and with Pyrrha's brisk walking pace I need to jog to get in front of her to hold the door for her. As she walks passed me I get this smile from her and a look from the corner of her eye that radiates 'thank you' but also 'really?'

When we reach our floor Pyrrha steps out first to look left, and I look right. Somewhere in this long strip is where Team RWBY is, but it may be a bit difficult to find out where.

"Ummm . . . 50-50 chance here. Left first?" I question.

"Sure."

The two of us walk down the left hallway. Pyrrha is on the left side knocking gently on each door while I do the same on the right. It's not until we are close to the end of the hallway that I knock on one door with Ruby's dad being the one to answer, and at the same time Pyrrha knocks on the door opposite, and gets an answer from the Cheetah faunus we saw earlier.

"Umm . . . we're looking for Weiss." I say loud enough for both of them to hear.

"You're in the wrong hallway." Her dad says.

Yeah . . . down the hall and all the way at the end I think. Somewhere down there." She adds, definitely narrowing our search tremendously.

"Sorry." Pyrrha apologises to the two for disturbing them before we make our way towards the opposite side of the long hallway to find Weiss.

"Woah . . . Weiss, who's this!?"

Pyrrha and I pause and look at each other. Over halfway down the hall is a light emanating from an open doorway. That has to be Weiss' room, but neither of us have any idea who that other person is.

"Oh, umm . . . I'm Ruby! I-uh . . . Weiss' partner!" That stumbling and fumbling of words is definitely Ruby.

"She's the one I saw in the magazine!" the mystery voice shouts.

"Woah, what magazine?" Weiss questions.

"Some gossip crap that has a photo of you in Vale. Questions and whatnot if you have a love interest. It's all an attempt to make sales as it always is. I mean it's not like- . . ." Pyrrha and I continue to approach while the talking has stopped. ". . . is that . . . a Schnee necklace?"

"This is very easy to explain!" Weiss sounds slightly panicked. Pyrrha and I exchange a glance and begin to move a lot quicker towards the door while making as little noise as possible but continue to listen in. If things get bad it's a given that the two of us will step in without a second of delay, but for now it doesn't seem too drastic. There are no threats going around, either verbal or physical. If anything it's just a startled conversation.

"How can you explain someone wearing the family emblem? There's not a jeweler alive that can create that aside from the one here in Atlas that can't do it without a Schnee's verification. I definitely didn't ask for this, and I doubt anybody else in the family would have reason to. Weiss, who is this girl?"

"I. She. It's . . ." Weiss continues to sound panicked, but when I attempt to go to the doorway Pyrrha stops me and shakes her head before nudging me back against the wall to continue listening in while staying out of sight.

"M-My name's Ruby Rose." Ruby answers.

"Okay. 'Rose' doesn't ring a bell to me. You don't have a family with any prestigious accomplishments, nor do you look like there's anything special about you either-"

"I'm t attending Beacon, actually." Ruby responds with hesitance more than confidence. That's a big deal to anybody who could hear something like that.

"Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?"

". . . Weiss said the same thing when we met . . . After she yelled at me for knocking over her stuff."

"You know what? You two are seriously dodging the question. Weiss, are you dating this chick?"

Pyrrha and I go wide eyed and look at each other. Pyrrha's the first person to make a move and goes towards the doorway to announce herself with a big smile.

"Weiss, Ruby! oh, you two have a guest. Sorry to interrupt. I actually um- need to borrow Ruby for a moment. Her father wants to see her."

"Weiss, when were you gonna tell me that Pyrrha Nikos is here?"

"I-I honestly don't like the attention. I'm just spending time with friends. Ruby, your dad." Pyrrha jumps right back to getting Ruby out of there. It's then that Pyrrha walks in and seems to switch places with Ruby who walks out and sees me. By the confusion and then the silent 'oh' she mouths, she realizes that Pyrrha just bailed her out of that weird situation.

"You're a life saver." Ruby whispers while the two of us start to walk down the hall.

"No problem. Who was that?" I ask Ruby, but all she does is shake her head and look over her shoulder to the open doorway. "Should you go to your sister?"

"No umm . . . I'll sit with your team for a bit."

"Alright, but I think Nora and Ren are snuggling. I sort of sent a fake text to Nora with Ren's scroll." I chuckle.

"I've seen worse. Trust me."

* * *

_**Also, quick disclaimer: **_

_**Quotes used are not my own and are taken from RWBY and property of Roosterteeth.**_

_**(I just don't want them to sue me Q.Q)**_


	19. When The Spartan's Away

_**So, anybody who reads ALL of my work, and not just a Beacon of Hope will get what's going on here with the title. Everyone else gets left out 'cause I'm an evil SOB who will make you learn to love all or none of my writings! Mwahahahaha . . . **_

_**Q.Q Please read my stuff, Senpai.**_

**Also, yes this is an early upload.**

"**Why are you suddenly doing early uploads you lazy SOB?"**

**Why I'm glad you asked! It's one of my Good friend's B-day today. Just letting him know I care :'D**

**Happy B-day Lawson!**

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**Chapter 19 - When The Spartan's Away**

"Nora . . . you're hurting me."

"But Reeeeeen!"

"Nora . . . torso plus bearhug does not equal cuddling." I let out a mild groan of pain while Nora still holds onto me.

"But, Ren! I don't want you ever feeling lonely! 'specially not when I'm right next door!" I swear Nora can be too kind for her own good. On top of that she is too strong for her own good.

"Nora!" I raise my voice slightly but it's enough to get Nora to release her bearhug and let my feet touch the floor again. I plan on getting Jaune back for this, especially since I planned on catching up on my sleep, and that is not usually possible with Nora around.

"Sorry, Ren. Want to watch TV?" Her eyes light up in hope I will say yes, but I find one problem in her logic.

"I don't think there's a TV here, Nora." I look around, not spotting a flat screen of any kind.

"There's a projector on the ceiling! Pyrrha saw it in our room and I noticed it when I walked in here. I think there's a fighting channel!" Nora has always loved watching anything violent. They say a weapon is an extension of yourself, and Nora's portrays her love for smashing and blowing things up perfectly.

"Alright. Find the remote, then." I smile and take a seat while Nora makes short work of locating the small controller that controls the projector and proceeds to turn on the display that appears off the wall to the right of the bed in a crystal clear image, much to my surprise considering the size and distance.

"Want to see anything in specific, Ren?" She crawls onto the bed from behind me and crawls towards where I am to seat herself at my side, making a mess of the quilt in the process. She's in her favorite 'Boop' shirt, along with a pair of pink shorts that go to her mid-thigh. Nora has little realization of what 'conservative' clothing is. In fact, she is oblivious to the fact that her usual combat attire reveals her cleavage and favors it only because of the heart cutout that sits in the very center.

"You're Queen of the Channels, Nora." I smile towards her and lay down on my stomach while facing the screen. She starts flipping through the channels before grabbing two pillows from my side of the bed and hands one to me while she takes the other for herself and lays next to me.

Eventually Nora finds herself something violent to watch. Usually I'd be more than happy to pay attention to her shows, but my eyelids have something different in mind. I close my eyes for a moment after a blink turns into a fight to reopen them and find Nora on top of me. From what I can tell her chin is resting on my shoulder and the rest of her body is on top of mine, using me as a full body pillow.

"Nora?"

"There's my sleepy Ren." She says with that overly enthusiastic attitude.

"Why are you on top of me?" I turn my head to look into her eyes, but instead I get an eyeful of her cheek from how close her head is.

"You fell asleep on the covers." She answers, but doesn't give an ounce of further information.

"I'm not following." The entire time I keep a relaxed tone. It's not the first time this has happened. As a matter of fact, anything that can happen with Nora has already happened once with me. She's amazingly good at finding new ways of causing trouble or awkward situations to the point that nothing phases me anymore.

"You looked cold. Just keeping you warm."

_Yup, that's Nora._

"You think Pyrrha went looking for Jaune after I left?" She asks after my silence to her statement that I can't clasify as anything but a 'Nora Moment'

"Probably. Pyrrha's always looking out for him." I push my shoulders back, signaling Nora to roll off of me so I can stretch out and relieve any tension my body built up while she was on top of me.

"He's so clueless." Nora comments while she spins off of me and lands on her back, bouncing slightly when she hits the mattress.

"He is. Pyrrha can only nudge so much. The 4-time Mistral Regional Champion has made her move. Jaune may be too defensive to make his. It's like a barrage of experienced slashes meeting an even better defense." The last part I say to no one in particular.

"I still think Pyrrha made the bigger mess. I mean . . . offering advice to help him get Weiss. That's . . . that's begging for the friend zone." Nora sits up at the edge of the bed and shakes her head. "She needs to practice what she preaches."

"They both fear rejection it seems. Jaune has his reasons, and Pyrrha is well . . . too proper. She lets things fall where they may too much. She needs to take fate into her own hands." I give a few shakes of my head to fight away the lingering desires for sleep.

"Yeah . . ."

Nora's silence can only mean one thing. Anytime we talk about Pyrrha and Jaune's relationship there's usually a topic that follows, although I believe the last time we spoke of it I cleared up any misconceptions.

"Nora? Is it about 'us' again?"

"No! It's not that- I mean . . . Just thinking about graduating." She trails off, looking down at her lap with that normal smile of hers growing larger the more she spaces out. Whether she's thinking of graduation or not, it's definitely a happy thought.

"Well, it's making you smile. That's always good." I can't help but smile as well. It's always a good thing to see Nora happy. Her smile is its own reward for me, but I know graduating wouldn't make her smile that much - at least at the thought of it. "What're you really thinking about?"

"Graduation . . . Well . . . okay, not graduation by itself. I mean- After Beacon we're Hunters and Huntresses. Everyone may go their separate ways just for a little bit and y'know . . . get a little break. It'll be nice to go back home with you and see everyone. Especially if-" There's a long pause and that smile lessens slightly. Nora takes in a deep breath and give the slightest shake of her head that I am barely able to notice. I was right with my assumption.

"If we're _together_ together?" I finish her sentence with her own words. She turns her head and looks at me immediately. An apologetic look piercing my eyes in fear I would be angry at her mentioning this again.

"I know! One step at a time. I just . . . well." Her cheeks begin to flare up, and she adapts a rather bashful posture with gripping her knees, clasping her legs together and tightening her shoulders without gazing towards me.

"It's fine, Nora. Let's try to get a nap in. If Jaune comes back we'll take a walk." I give Nora a reassuring smile that brings back her usual, enthusiastic attitude. I don't even get to roll over before she is laying down at my side and trying to nestle up against me.

"That's fine, Ren!"

"Not like this. It's too much of a neck strain to see the projection." I explain, although in truth I am more worried about the sight whoever walks in would be subjected to. I move myself towards the back of the bed, placing the pillows that Nora and I were using against the wall with one on top of the other so I can press my back against them. Nora moves to my left side and lays her head on my shoulder while wrapping both of her arms around my left arm in a firm, but not crushing embrace.

"Ren. Can you tell me that story?" Nora looks up at me for a moment before closing her eyes.

"You mean the legend?" I clarify

"You know which one I mean, silly."

"I've told you it several times already." I argue, although I already plan on obeying her request. She just has me curious as to why she likes it so much.

"It makes a good bedtime story . . ."

"The first Huntsman to raise a blade to the soulless creatures we know as creatures of Grimm." I begin, Nora already settling in to listen to what has become her favorite short story. "The first to step up and form a weapon that neither human hands or Grimm could hope to understand. He took a stand to face the dangers that everyone were to afraid to face. The dangers that everyone decided to hide behind natural barriers or even build their own walls to avoid. He was the first to shatter the rule that 5 men can only handle 1 grim at a time. His reason for standing up immortalized by his only publicized words:

'_**I believe that the human spirit is indomitable. If you endeavor to achieve, it will happen given enough resolve. It may not be immediate, and often your greater dreams is something you will not achieve within your own lifetime. The effort you put forth to anything transcends yourself, for there is no futility even in death.' **_

Through his leadership and example everyone followed in his footsteps to create something unbelievable. A world where men and fauna did not have to be the ones hunted, but instead be the Hunters and Huntresses of this world. He is the reason the world of Remnant is as it is today. His soul watches us. Our auras vibrant under his care. His only words before he disappeared were to keep moving forward. The generations will honor his words and soon his visions of a unified world, unharmed by the Grimm's presence will exist. He's the great Monyreak Oum, and forever the protector of Remnant."

I take a deep breath and look down at Nora who is already fast asleep. She admires that tale so much, and I suppose telling it as many times as she wants will keep his memory alive. It's the least we can do.

Seconds after I finish, I lay my head on top of hers to fall asleep as well. My dreams fall back to the same day Pyrrha went out looking for Jaune after our assignment in Forever Falls. To be precise as to the real reason this memory pops up . . . the day my Jaune-level density got my first kiss taken from me.

_Could that be the case for me as well? Am I looking out for Nora's better interest, or am I following in Jaune's level of cluelessness? Nora my childhood friend. I've always looked after her. It became a responsibility after we met, and I've blindly followed it without it being asked of me. I'll continue to look after her too. She's the one that's most precious to me after all._

"Oh . . . they're asleep."

"No duh, Jaune. What did you think they were doing?"

"I mean . . . look."

"Woah . . . that can be . . . really taken out of context. I mean . . . woah."

I fight my eyelids, trying to blink until eventually I am able to force them open after holding myself in that state of bordering dream-land and trying to awake. The first thing I see is Jaune looking at me from the doorway with Ruby peeking in from behind him.

_What were they talking about?_

I sit myself up, realizing there's no weight on my shoulder and look to my left to see Nora isn't there. I start to look around, but through my peripheral vision I notice something below me. My body starts to wake up as well, revealing a slight pressure against my stomach and waistline on top of my left leg being slightly numb. I look down to see the source of the problem and go wide-eyed when I see Nora's head is resting on my stomach with her left hand holding my inner thigh like a pillow. Suddenly Jaune's words of something being 'taken out of context' becomes clear.

I take a deep breath. This is something new to add to my memories of odd situations courtesy of Nora, but the fact of the matter is that it is still Nora that has me in this situation. I shake my head and reach down, hooking my right arm underneath her torso and my left arm on her shoulder to gently lift her up and place her back against me like she was prior to me falling asleep.

"Jaune . . . you mention this to her and I will not be pleased." I say simply. I already know Ruby will understand my words apply to her as well and will definitely keep quiet.

"Wasn't planning on it, Ren. Ruby just got caught in a bit of a situation. Mind if she chills with us until Pyrrha gets back?"

"Why would I say 'no' to Ruby's company?" I ask. Ruby and her team are always welcome around me. Around all of us in fact, we're practically an 8-man unit.

"Thanks, Ren." Ruby calls out from behind Jaune and steps into the room. The two of them take a seat near my side of the bed to watch whatever is displaying on the wall while I work on keeping Nora against me.

"If I may, what was the situation you got caught up in?" I question, and find the perfect way to hold Nora is with my left arm around her waist and my right hand holding her head to my shoulder.

"Well . . . someone from Weiss' family came back early." Ruby begins before a shiver erupts through her body. "I thought Weiss had an ice cold stare . . . but . . . that one was as cold as winter."

"I see. They don't know yet, do they? About the two of you?" My question makes Ruby shake her head. No wonder she would be this nervous about meeting one of Weiss' family members. "I see . . . that's a given."

"I don't know how things are gonna end up. I mean . . . Weiss is worried about it, and that makes me worry about it. Then my dad and uncle are both talking about how he's all 'gr growl I'm rich and my daughter will marry a rich snob, bleh.' I don't want or relationship to become a burden between us."

"Ruby, that's not gonna happen. Weiss will never look at you or her relationship with you as a burden." Jaune quickly answers.

"A parent's consent is possibly the most important thing to a relationship. It offers a sense of security and welcome into that family. The thing is, it's not something that will change Weiss' feelings towards you. Whether her father accepts you or not is his loss. Weiss will continue to see you. All of us are certain." I do my best to put Ruby at ease.

"I know that, Ren. Weiss doesn't get along with her dad anyway . . . I just . . . I don't want to add to their hostility. My dad, uncle, and sis are all okay with me dating Weiss. I just want her to have the same support from her family." Ruby sighs, the little monochrome-haired girl starting to twiddle her thumbs.

"She already does, Ruby." I answer her. As expected I get an odd look from her, even Jaune looks my way in debate to my statement. "Your uncle, your father, and your sister are her family now."

My explanation brings a smile to her lips. Jaune gives me a nod and begins to chuckle at my smart remark that assists in lightening the mood. I always find it easier to look at the glass as half-full rather than half-empty. Nora is the same in that regard. The only one in our team that I would think to look at the glass half-empty would be Jaune, but he can be 50-50 in that regard.

"Thanks, Ren." Ruby finally speaks up after a few seconds of silence between the three of us. "You and Nora look cuter together, by the way."

"We aren't together, Ruby." I say simply and leave at that, but that doesn't stop the monochrome-haired girl of team Ruby from still offering her compliments.

"And? You can still look cute together without actually being together." Ruby's counter is something I can't argue with, and instead I nod my head, marking my submission to her reasoning.

"Fair point." There is a silence between the three of us. It's broken shortly after when Nora finally slips deeper into her dream world and starts a very mild snoring that is only audible because of the silence between us all.

"Well. I hope Pyrrha's doing alright. I mean, whoever was in there seemed pretty scary." Jaune nods his head and makes me wonder if a Schnee is that intimidating. Weiss always had a radiating hostility, but that faded very soon after she became a member of Team RWBY.

Before I can answer there is a knocking at the door. Jaune decides to call out and say that the door is open instead of answering it himself. I suppose there is no problem in that since everyone is dressed, but it is still a better courtesy in case it is someone who is uncomfortable with opening someone else's door. Surprisingly there is no answer and instead the knocking continues.

"I'll get it, Jaune." I slide towards the side of the bed to give me enough room to lay Nora down as carefully as I can before I walk towards the door and open it. I am put slightly off guard when I am forced to tilt my head back to meet a familiar eye-piercing stare of crystal blue eyes, although they have somewhat of a silver hue to them. The woman I am now looking up to has the entire right side of her face covered, along with her arms folded beneath her chest which ends up pushing out her sizeable attribute even further.

"Jaune Arc?" She asks in a very blunt tone. She definitely has a relation to Weiss, but I am uncertain if she is Weiss' mother, or possibly an older sister. If I take a guess and say mother, then I will most likely undergo hell if I am wrong. If I guess sister and turn out to be wrong, I will be complimenting her by making her seem younger.

"May I know who is asking? Are you Weiss' sister?" I blink once, a brow raising at my counter-question instead of simply submitting and answering.

"Who wants to know?" She asks back, holding her ground with another question,

"I'd feel more comfortable knowing I am talking to a friend's relative."

"Are you Jaune Arc?"

"Are you Weiss' sister?" My stare sharpens with neither of us wanting to give ground.

"R-Ren . . . S-She's Weiss' sister." I pause and look over my shoulder to Ruby who places her hands together in a pleading gesture to not continue the confrontation.

"Sorry for the confusion." I answer to Weiss' sister and turn my attention back to the duo seated on the bed. "Jaune, it's for you."

I stand by the door, holding it partially open until Jaune walks close enough to switch places with me. Instead of walking back to the bed however, I lean against the wall right next to the door to listen in on the conversation.

"You're Jaune?"

"Um . . . yes?" Jaune answers with uncertainty.

"Are you Jaune Arc?" She questions again, not liking his answer one bit.

"Y-Yeah. That's my name." Jaune answers after being asked the same question a second time.

"Good. You're coming with me. We're going to the garden. You will not speak. You will not question me. You will not fall behind my walking pace. Are we clear?" She speaks in a very commanding and demanding tone. It's something I recall hearing from Weiss for only a brief time, but that habit was broken out of long ago. It's worrisome to think this is how Weiss could have been like in the future if she never met the seven of us at Beacon, or perhaps just Ruby.

"Y-yeah. Sure. Let me just get-"

"I'm walking." Her words are accompanied by loud steps that surprise me considering the floor is carpeted. In a panic Jaune runs out the door and shuts it behind him without a word, leaving Ruby and I to exchange glances and wonder what it is that's going on.

"She seems . . . angrier than before. She was much nicer when I met her, Ren." Ruby explains, defending the behavior of Weiss' sister.

"I'm debating on following them. Her attitude has me worrying about Jaune."

"The garden is on the first floor . . . it's like a plaza in the back area. Just umm . . . you can leave, take a right and walk to the end. You can see everything from there." Ruby explains. It seems she already has a grasp on Schnee Manor well. It's a good thing she is here to direct me.

"Thank you, Ruby. Sorry to leave you with Nora. The remote's on the bed somewhere. Please don't hesitate." I give Ruby a warm smile before I leave the room. Both of them are already out of sight which I was certain would be the case since it appears she has a very fast walking pace.

_Don't get yourself into too much trouble, Jaune._

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_**Okay, I added a Monty tribute here cause . . . Monty shall never be forgotten Q.Q Hopefully it's half decent. Please, if anything give your opinions on that section. **  
_

_**Also, the quote in bold is not mine. It's Monty's of course.**_


	20. The Caged Spartan

_**Okay, so I have some awesome news (at least to me, hopefully you all like it too!)**_

_**A friend of mine within my college is pretty good at drawing and after looking at a few of his commissions I was happy enough to give him the skit in Chapter 44 of Part I of A Beacon of Hope for him to draw Shun. His rough sketch was pretty damn awesome, even gave her an arrogant posture, toothy grin, I was smiling cheek to cheek when I saw it.**_

_**So! I'm going to be getting the a full drawing from him (yes, I'm paying for the commission), and it will be the first piece of art for Shun. Hopefully I can save up to have him, or other artists do more, but to have one tiny piece of my creation out there is like . . . completely awesome. Hopefully people will be interested in seeing it when she's done!**_

_**Now, sorry for the late upload, I had this chapter ready on Saturday, but I was leaving it to be looked at. I will say that the next chapter will take a while. With the POV I thought of and the amount of things I want covered, I will definitely need it to be a lengthy chapter. I could always split it with 2 POVs, but there's a method to my madness.**_

_**Again, whoever actually reads all this crap, thank you a lot. :)**_

_**Also, as per requests I've been throwing in more JNPR. I'm not sure if people notice, but this story is pretty much "Season 2.5" for canon. I'm not super creative, so yes, this is just to hopefully hold everyone over until Season 3 gets out so I can really crack down and add my own twists to things, just like I did with Season 2.**_

_**Again, thanks for reading all this crap xD Here is chapter 20! RELEASE THE KRAKEN . . . I mean Spartan.**_

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**Chapter 20 - The Caged Spartan**

"Pyrrha Nikos, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Winter Schnee, Weiss' older sister." Compared to earlier she has such a relaxed and proper method of speaking. I suppose she is the kind of person to 'put on airs' for anybody that is not her family. It's somewhat of a two-faced way of living in my eyes, but at the same time it is a huge strain to maintain an attitude you do not want to, and also keep the people you represent in high standings to the public eye. Something like this can be overlooked for that reason.

"Please. 'Pyrrha' is perfectly fine. I was unaware Weiss had an older sister." I respond. I remain at the doorway, allowing a few more moments for Jaune and Ruby to retreat before I close it.

"So, you're attending Beacon with Weiss? " Winter questions. She's sitting on Weiss' bed with her right leg over her left. Her fingers are interlaced, resting on top of her thigh in an upright posture that radiates the manners and etiquette one would expect of a Schnee.

"I am. Weiss was kind enough to invite my team and I to spend the night. We bumped into each other by coincidence near the . . ."I pause, trying to recall the name of the restaurant I was trying to bring my team to.

"The Atlesian Night, Pyrrha." Weiss calls out to me.

"That's the one. After a few events, neither of our parties ate, so Weiss invited us here for dinner and a night of sleep. I was just heading to the room I am sharing when Ruby's father asked me to find her for him." I lie. I feel bad for lying to someone I just met, but I have no other choice to keep Ruby safe from Weiss' sister. However, Weiss ends up getting scolded by her sister regardless.

"Weiss?" Winter turns to look at her sister with a crooked brow. "Why are you making her share a room? We have more than enough rooms to give everyone their own."

"I thought about it, but sharing space is how both of our teams are adjusted to. For both of us it has been four persons to one room. I have them assigned with two per room." Weiss explains, but by the lingering look of her sister I can tell that it is not a very liked response.

"Actually," I begin to jump in, "I am having troubles with ummm . . . q-quality time. Yes, that's it . . . quality time. You see, my team is always together, and um . . . because of that I rarely get to hold a proper conversation with one of my teammates. Weiss was simply setting up accommodations to allow for that per my request."

I begin to blush. In the end it isn't an entire lie. I was hoping Jaune would choose to share a room with me to allow the two of us to talk. It would have been a wonderful time to see just how much he thinks of me in an environment where we shouldn't be interrupted. Unfortunately he decided to let Nora and I share a room while him and Ren share the other. I should have expected that from him.

"I see.. That's very nice of you." Winter smiles at Weiss and pulls her little sister in for a one armed hug. It's easy to see the friendliness between the two, but I can also tell that Weiss either fears, or has a tremendous amount of respect for her sister and fears upsetting her older sibling. "So . . . it's a guy, I'm assuming?"

"Well, um- I wouldn't say it in that manner. He's . . ." I try to find a way to explain the situation in a proper manner, but I continue to fumble over myself. To think I couldn't explain my relationship to Jaune (or lack of) is a surprise to myself.

"He's dense." Weiss butts in. "Extremely dense. My team and the other two members of her team can tell she likes him, but he's just . . . oblivious to it all."

"You're kidding." Winter turns to Weiss. Her stern, formal tone takes a drop to something more casual as she begins to converse with her sister.

"I'm not. He's completely oblivious to her hints. As a matter of fact . . . he even took her to Beacon's prom."

As Weiss continues to tell about Jaune's poor perception when it comes to my feelings, I start to feel worse. I begin to recall all of our times together. From training on the roof together, to him taking me to the dance. They're all wonderful memories, and I am sure that they will continue to snowball together until something much bigger happens that I will welcome with open arms.

"I see . . . so he's a clueless man with low self-esteem, and I believe I am being generous with that evaluation ." Winter folds her arms and closes her eyes. The older Schnee remains still, pondering without moving a muscle. After roughly a minute she stands up and walks in front of me to observe me. It's surprising to see we are close to being the same height, although she is slightly taller than me. "I think I have something that could fit you."

"Excuse me?" I question, not following the semi-audible statement.

"I'll explain. Weiss, be a dear and bring a brush to my room, please." Winter turns me around and guides me out the room with a gentle palm pressed to my back. While we walk I realize she has a very brisk walking pace that I have minor difficulties keeping up with. She leads me one floor down and into a room that I would say is almost directly below Weiss'.

The room has a very reflective black-marble floor, dark walls that are just shy of being a pitch black, and magnified mirrors against the walls that allow anybody to see their full body if they stand in front of it. Near the entrance to the room is a large dresser with several beauty products, as well as a large mirror sitting in the center. It's a white dresser with golden outlines to the mirror, making the reflective glass pop out with the minor change in color.

Within the room is one more door that I am lead through, and upon us walking in, a light is triggered that reveals several dresses to my left and right. She has lead me into a walk-in closet that I assume contain an assortment of her formal gowns.

"Let's see what I can find you. I believe I have a red one somewhere. Hm . . . although the green would bring out your eyes. Actually, let's stick with red. When in doubt, match the hair color." I am unsure if she is even talking to be at this point while she goes fumbling around the many rows of formal wear until she spots a dress she deems suitable. I watch her reach between several of the expensive dresses until she pushes them away from the one she is after.

I stand at the entrance to the closet, amazed at the red strapless dress that looks very close to matching my physique. Along the right side of the silk skirt it appears to have a cut that will no doubt expose most of my leg from the mid-thigh and below.

"That's a beautiful shade of red . . . and it is extremely stylish, but why am I being given a dress to wear?" I question. She said it would be explained why, but it seems she drifted into her own world for a moment.

"You'll see when everything comes together. Put this on. I'm sure it'll fit you." She walks towards me and drapes the dress over my arm before walking out of the closet to leave the room.

"I . . . I doubt this would fit me." I look over my shoulder and catch a glimpse of her just before she makes it to the door. "We have different shapes." I explain.

"That entire closet is full of clothes from when I was younger. Some of the clothes in there my little sister can easily fit into. Weiss will be down in just a moment to help with your hair. Tell her to bring you to the garden." With her words spoken she leaves without giving me a chance to argue or question her more on what is going on. I can't help but feel she is used to commanding a situation by smothering people with orders and force them to obey through haste and confusion.

"Well, Pyrrha. The Schnees are not the people to debate with. Let's just follow along for now." I say to noone in particular. I decide the best place to change is right inside the walk-in closet. I take a moment to close the door to the closet, allowing me roughly two minutes to carefully fit into the dress as well as fold up the corset and A-line skirt I favor wearing. When I open the closet door Weiss is waiting patiently with a somewhat annoyed look to her.

"I hope she hasn't been too much to handle. She's not the greatest at talking on level with people." Weiss apologizes for her sister before I can offer a complaint.

"It's not a problem, Weiss!" I answer more so in defense of her sister than anything. "She seems very active and calm. I get the feeling she's always moving."

"She's the Overseer-type. She walks passed, says what needs to be done, then leaves before anybody realizes who it was that was talking." Weiss explains while gesturing me to the dresser I noticed when we first entered the room.

I sit down in the nearby chair. Weiss starts to brush my hair, although I am still confused as to why I am being dressed and styled in such a formal way. I decide to keep quiet for the moment, finding it better to question Weiss when she is done.

"You know, putting your hair down may be better." Weiss comments while she is still brushing out the knots in my ponytail.

"I still don't understand what your sister is planning." I sigh, wondering why I am so willing to cooperate to something I completely unaware of.

"Really? Pyrrha, you're definitely smart enough to figure out what she's planning. Think about it." Weiss offers no further assistance in guessing what her older sister is planning. After piecing together all the little breadcrumbs of information, as well as add in the conversation we concluded in Weiss' room leaves me with only one thought in mind.

"T-this won't change anything between him and I!" I shout after several minutes of silence with Weiss brushing my hair.

"You finally caught on. It may . . . I hate to admit it, but my sister is a specialist at manipulation. It's intimidating to say the least." Weiss finishes with my hair and ushers me to my feet. "Hm . . . take those off. I'll be right back."

I look into the mirror and pull my hair over my left shoulder to look at the job done by Weiss. It's a simple combing, but the brush she used assured that every single tangle within my red locks were dealt with thoroughly. As per her request I begin to take off my shoes, unstrapping them without any haste and finishing just as she comes back with a pair of red flats for me to wear.

"Here, I think these will fit you." Weiss places the flats down at my feet and gestures me to slide into them.

"Weiss, why is your sister doing this?" I ask, unable to see the possibility that a Schnee will be so kind to someone they just met, although she does know me through my Mistral-reputation.

"I have no idea, Pyrrha. I'm only following along because I do agree it's about time a step is made, and if neither of you are going to make a large push . . . then I suppose a third party will need to." Weiss' answer seems a bit estranged from her norm. She may have an idea of what her sister is up to, or what the motivation for attempting to assist me may be. "By the way . . . why haven't you tried a little more? I know it's sort of tradition for the guy to ask the girl, but Jaune's too dense to notice things."

"I'm more worried about the feelings not being returned. It's kind of hard to kill the awkwardness when we live in the same dorm room." I explain. "I'm sure he'll notice at the proper time."

"Pyrrha. Sometimes you need to do things yourself . . . before the one you care for the most gets hurt just when you find out their true feelings." Weiss must be talking from her experience with Ruby getting knocked out by Yang just after a confession was made. "If he's that dense I'll question him myself on it."

"I'd prefer not." I answer very blandly.

"Well neither of you are making a move. It's a boring chess match to say the least." Weiss sighs. I can't help but agree with her. Jaune's unable to notice my feelings, and I am too worried to make a move myself. I suppose with the help of the Schnee sisters I may as well take advantage of the situation.

"I guess I can follow your sister's plot." I answer after an awkward silence between the two of us.

"That's the spirit. Come on." Weiss starts to lead the way out of the room.

"Where are we going?" I ask while I am already following along.

"Winter told me to bring you to the garden. It's just a little boxed off area surrounded by a porous white fence. It's pretty basic." Weiss seems to forget that not everybody has the luxuries that she does.

The two of us continue our way through the mansion in complete silence. I struggle slightly to keep up with Weiss with the flats she gave me to wear. They are almost too comfortable and makes me feel like I am stepping on a soft surface that I can't dig into. They are completely different than my normal footwear, or even the heels I wore to prom.

"it's just out here." Weiss leads me into a staircase that spirals down to the first floor. From where we are she makes a left and continues down the long hallway until she eventually makes a right turn through a glass door that leads outside onto a stone pathway.

The moment I step outside my ears are filled with the sounds of several melodic insects of all variety. THe only thing illuminating my path to follow Weiss is the moonlight, and a reflective shine on the stone tiles that gives them a minor glow with the faint light of night.

Ahead of us is a white archway and a white fence on either side that has large, healthy bushes on the other side that I can see through the porous squares in the design. Weiss continues to walk forward until she passes through the arch and gestures me to follow.

As she said, it is pretty basic, being a simple square that is close to the size of the bedroom Nora and I are using. Straight ahead of me, occupying the center of the space is a white gazebo with shellacked, wooden floors and a pinkish roof. Standing in the center of the gazebo is Winter with her right hand firmly holding the back of Jaune's neck who is sitting on a nearby seat with clear fright in his eyes.

"There they are! He's just as dense as you said, Weiss." Winter speaks in a bored mannerism while she lets go of Jaune's neck and steps out of the gazebo.

"Winter, what did you do to him?" Weiss asks while her sister steps by me and nudges me in the back to go towards him.

"That's a private matter, Sister. However, if things don't go well . . . I may need to take him for myself. He's dense, but a gentleman."

I twitch a little at her words. Immediately I look over my shoulder to look at Winter who has her back towards me. She's headed into the house with Weiss not so far behind.

_What could she mean by that? Why would she have any interest in Jaune? She's probably just saying that to instigate action. Weiss did say her sister is manipulative._

"Um . . . Pyrrha?"

_I forgot Jaune was here . . . _

"Yes Jaune?" I turn towards him and offer my brightest smile. He is just standing up from his seat within the gazebo.

"Um . . . I didn't know you had a crush on-" _Dust . . . Dust, dust, dust! Why did Winter have to tell him!? This isn't going to make anything better. It's only going to accomplish the opposite!_

"Umm, well . . . That's not true. I'm sure she was just joking around." I dismiss.

"Oh, that's good!" Jaune takes a heavy breath of relief. A breath that stabs me several times through the heart. "I mean, it would get very complicated, especially since Nora would end up fighting you for attention and stuff."

_Wait, he likes Nora?_

"J-Jaune? You have feelings for Nora?" I clench my fingers tightly while I walk towards him. I may as well get everything off my chest tonight and cut my losses.

"Wait, what? No way. Winter told me you liked Ren . . . and if I don't get everything off my chest about it, then she'll break my fingers, then my wrists, then my elbows . . . and so on." Jaune cringes as he recalls the threat.

"I don't have any feelings for Ren, Jaune." I begin to giggle.

_Wait, if he was happy that I said 'no' to liking Ren . . . Then maybe?_

"Well, is there someone you'd have in mind for me?" I can't seem to avoid beating around the bush. It's getting me very nervous to continue inching infinitely towards the question I want to ask, but never reaching it.

"What? Just cause I have seven sisters doesn't make me a love guru." Jaune starts to scratch the back of his head before breaking sight with me. This was definitely a bad idea. "Well, how about we go get a hot chocolate or something? It's a little nippy in Atlas."

I nod my head in agreement. Jaune catches up to me on the stone pathway before we both head towards the archway to leave, but just as we enter it the two of us are sent bouncing back only to notice one of Weiss' glyphs standing between us and leaving.

"What? Why is Weiss blocking the door?" Jaune questions and immediately climbs onto the gazebo to jump over the bush and clear the archway, but another glyph meets him and then expands over the entire area we are in.

_They're taking this to extremes._

"I think we may be here for a little while, Jaune." I sigh before I walk into the gazebo to take a seat.

_This is going to be a long night._


	21. Blake's Evening

**_Well . . . this took longer than I wanted._**

**_I kinda wanted to stop at about 5k, but umm . . . this is longer than 5k. _**

**_Anyway, please drop a review. This will be an opening to something similar to when I did the prom arc. A lot of holes are left un purpose to be filled i nat some point, so be ready to enjoy._**

**_Also, there's an Easter Egg in here. Any ScrewAttack fans out there will catch onto it very very easily. _**

**_Here's chapter 21!_**

* * *

**Chapter 21 - Blake's Evening  
**

I give Mr. Xiao Long a final gaze before I shut the door to the room. It's been a long day for everyone, but there is no doubt in my mind that it has been the longest day for Yang and myself. I'll be sure to give her a piece of my mind when she wakes up. As sweet as it was for her to keep fighting passed her limit for me, I still don't like the idea that she was so far beyond her limit that the use of her aura became impossible.

"You're such an idiot." I say to her, but with the large, blonde form still out cold slumped against my back I may as well be talking to myself.

I carefully walk over to the bedside to sit myself down. At the same time I lean back to let Yang fall from my grasp and land on the soft mattress with a mild thud. I doubt she'll mind what position she wakes up in, but I plan on adjusting her into a more natural state after a moment. I did not want to admit, or show it in front of Mr. Xiao Long, but Yang is a lot heavier than she looks. She's deceptively heavy, and the weight took its toll on my back.

I decide to take a small break before I hop in the shower to wash off the several layers of dry sweat and debris that has my arms and face feeling a slick taint to them. As I would normally do on any other day, I lay down with my head on Yang's right shoulder and press myself gently against the strong form of my girlfriend. Whether she is unconscious, sleeping, or wide awake, the warmth of her aura always reassures me.

I take a deep breath, finding myself nuzzling closer to Yang until my nose is tickled by her long, golden locks, and my forehead comes in contact with the mass of hair that clings very slightly to my sweat-stained flesh.

"Don't you ever worry me again, Yang." I know I am whispering on deaf ears, but it is the only time I will be able to say this so openly. Despite me being in a relationship with Yang, I admit that I still hold a distance between us through sarcasm and feigned annoyance. I don't want there to be a severe pain should anything happen between us for reasons beyond our control. I still don't know what has happened with Adam or what Torchwick is up to, and I need to remain prepared for the worst. Although, what I said to her father was true and from the heart: **_'This is where I belong.'_**

I drape my right arm over her stomach, as well as my right leg over both of hers to keep me as close as possible. The thought that she pushed me out of the way to take a hit she probably knew she wasn't prepared for continues to eat away at my subconscious. In the end it was my lack of awareness for Yang's limits, my own limits, and Pyrrha not having her shield in hand during the closing seconds of our fight that has Yang in this situation. I don't want to let her do something like that again, and me arguing with her to not do so will end with me losing since she already made it clear that she will be my guardian. The only choice I have is to adapt to her new mindset and be her shield in return. Unfortunately, that mindset will need to wait until after the Free-for-all. Yang and I won't be allies during that event, and I don't plan on holding back. To a fighter, holding back is the deepest form of disrespect, and I won't show any disrespect towards my teammates, or Shun.

_I guess I should shower._

Through extreme reluctance I begin to pull myself from Yang, but not before stealing myself a small peck from her mildly-parted lips. I feel somewhat like some sort of pervert for kissing my unconscious girlfriend, but that doesn't stop me from taking a second, and third kiss from her.

_Come on Blake . . . shower time._

I clench my fists and acknowledge the fact that there is a putrid stench coming from me and the only way to get rid of it is with a heavy dose of soap and water. I haven't taken the time to see the bathroom yet, so it will be a nice experience to see the size of a bathroom in a guest room of Schnee Manor. As a matter of fact, the first thing Yang said when Weiss invited us to her home is that she wants to see the size of the bathroom. I wonder if she already took the chance to peek inside.

I slowly roll myself away from Yang until I come to the edge of the bed. Without care I begin to strip off the sweaty, damp cloths from my body. The first to go is my vest, followed by my top, and my bra immediately after. The dampness in my clothes is made even more apparent to me when my exposed flesh is soon beaded with goosebumps thanks to the moisture that was kept on me sucks the heat right out of my body.

My need for a quick warmth brings me back against my personal super-heater whose aura can soothe the chills erupting throughout my spine. It takes me a moment to register that I just cowered against a sleeping Yang while I have no form of top on, and my surprise makes me jump in embarrassment. I'm thankful that Yang didn't wake up at any point during my mental lapse, otherwise I may never have heard the end the fact that 'her Kittycat was being pervy and kinky' while she was asleep.

This time when I move away from Yang I stand up and walk towards our dresser to fetch my clothing. Out of the two columns of drawers I made the right column my own. I drop down to a knee and open up the bottom drawer to pull out a shadow-purple bra, and a pair of boyshorts that I have not had the chance to wear around Yang.

They are primarily black with purple lettering on the back to match the color of my bra and bow. A smile crosses my lips when I look at the lettering that reads 'Have you pet the Kitty today?' and the image of my emblem sitting on the front left. These are the pair I was given when I walked into town and came across Yang's favorite teaser-clothing designer in Patch.

I take a moment and gaze over my shoulder at the sleeping blonde with a smile crossing my lips. Just thinking of her shell-shocked reaction to me playing her own game takes me to the border of laughter, but I hold it in to avoid making any noise that could wake her up.

_Alright, in the bathroom before I wake her up._

I turn towards the bathroom door which is between the dresser I am at and the bed. I move towards the doorway and take one more look at Yang before I enter the bathroom. Once inside I hold the doorknob twisted so I can close the door and then release the knob to avoid making any loud noises.

_Wait, why am I being so quiet when she's __**unconscious?**_

I stand with my back against the door and begin to shake my head. It is then that I look around and observe the bathroom for the first time. It's large, just as Yang and I thought, although I always expected it to be larger. If I had to guess I would say it's about half the size of our bedroom, but compared to Yang's bathroom it is definitely larger with plenty more walking room. The tiles are a nice, light-blue color while the walls are painted a pearly white to match the porcelain bathtub and stainless steel spouts and knobs in it. The tub is to my right, hogging up a large majority of the wall. However, there is a squared off area in the corner that the tub doesn't reach, and in that spot that is roughly 5 feet long and wide there is a drain sitting in the center as well as a water spout high against the wall. It takes me a moment to realize that the squared off area is actually a stand-in shower directly next to the bathtub. To complete the look, that entire section is cut off by a large, light-blue shower curtain that has the same emblem as the front door, although this one is see-through to contrast with the not-so-transparent curtain itself.

Directly ahead of the door is the sink with a sizeable mirror in front of it, and to complete the obvious bathroom necessities I see the toilet to my left and a small rack with several different kinds of magazines to suit all tastes of any that spend the night.

Without thinking I begin to undress and strip myself of everything. Within the large room I feel like I am embracing some sort of taboo act with the large space I am granted. To be exposed completely in a small, confined area is nothing, as is being naked in a bathroom. However, there's something about the large amount of space around me that gives me a feeling of liberation. It's large enough to be my own personal hot spring.

_I really need to take a break from reading Ninjas of Love . . . _

I take a deep inhale and face palm myself with an impact that echoes in the tiled room. At the same time I switch gears and turn to my right to follow the wall towards the tub. Along the wall is a towel rack with a black towel, and a yellow one. It's just like Weiss to go all out with the simple things.

I take a final look over my shoulder at the mass of clothing gathered at the doorway to the bathroom. On top of it all is my black ribbon that spirals and curls on top of the pile. First thing I do is look around the tub for the knobs to begin the water, but all I see is a device on the long wall against the tub that has a few buttons, and a display that is currently blank.

"I swear if this is the controller for a simple shower . . ." I continue to observe the device until I see a button that has a basic image of a running faucet. The moment I press the button I see the tub begin to fill at a rapid rate, much to my surprise. At the same time the display lights up and begins to display the water's temperature, immediately I tap a nearby up-arrow to raise the heat and let the tub fill.

"Is this even necessary for a bathtub to have some sort of state-of-the-art control panel? What the hell are these other buttons for anyway?" I begin to sigh, growl, and all-around get infuriated with the fact that such a large amount of money has been invested into these devices. More from the realization that it's also being paid for thanks to the profit made from the cheap Faunus labor the SDC uses.

After settling and getting the water warm enough to meet my standards I stand up to climb over the 3-foot high ledge of the porcelain tub and carefully climb in. Once my left leg is in the water I bring in my other leg and watch as my presence in the tub makes several pulsing rings appear and hit the walls of the stainless porcelain. The water is definitely warmer than what I usually shower with, but the heat is pleasant.

I stand there for a few seconds, making sure my body can adjust slightly to the heat of the water until I finally gain the nerve to lower myself into the water and lay back against the edge of the tub. I couldn't see anything when I was filling the tub or stepping in, but now that I have my back against the porcelain I feel some sort of rubbery and bumpy material that keeps me from sliding around. If I had to guess it must be some sort of clear, waterproof gel.

After I'm adjusted to the water's temperature I tap on the nearby display to raise the temperature a few more notches. Within seconds the water begins to pour into the tub again but it doesn't get any higher. If I had to assume why, then I would guess that the drain opened at the same time the warmer water was being poured.

"This is nice." I whisper. A mighty sigh breaks the growing silence in the bathroom. I can't remember the last time I simply laid back and enjoyed being embraced by hot water. Since I've been in Beacon I've always kept my showers quick, as well as be cautious with how much hot water I use since Yang doesn't know the same courtesy most of the time, leaving Ruby with a lukewarm shower while Weiss could care less thanks to her love of the cold.

I tell myself that after a while I will switch to the shower to properly soap myself to get the scent of sweat off of my body. That plan soon disappears into the back of my mind along with all of the fatigue of the day. The seconds turn into minutes, and after a certain amount of time (definitely close to 10 minutes) there is a heavy vibration in the tub and the water begins run again. Instinctively I turn my head towards the small control panel on the wall.

_Replacing water._

I read the flashing, boxed lettering and shake my head at how advanced the technology for a simple shower is; although I do appreciate not relaxing in my own filth. With the knowledge of the tub's water replacement cycle I am able to remain unsurprised when the second cycle comes. I use it as a time marker. When the third cycle comes I take the chance to switch over to the stand-in shower and wash myself properly with the soap left nearby, still in its box.

Compared to my time in the tub, I spend a miniscule amount underneath the shower head. I take care of every nook and cranny that has even the slightest feeling of sweat until I am satisfied that I have washed away every little molecule of it. When I'm done I step from the shower into the empty bath tub to reach the towel rack. I waste little time in drying my head, arms and torso to the best of my ability.

As soon as I am no longer dripping I wrap the towel around my breast and torso and walk over to the pile of discarded clothes. Next to them are the clean pair of boyshorts and the bra I took out of my drawer to wear. I give myself another quick dry before I put on my boyshorts and decide to put my bra on later. There's a liberating feeling of not having myself confined into a bra. Since I am only in a room with an unconscious Yang I feel no need for it to be on for now.

Before I leave the bathroom I place the towel back on the rack and gather all of my clothing to carry out with me. When I leave the bathroom I instantly notice that there is a shiny, silver plate cover resting on top of the dresser with a sticky note attached to it. I immediately walk over and lean forward to read the note.

_One tuna sandwich for Blake_

_One 'everything' sandwich for Yang._

_~Sebastian_

"How did he get in here? The door's locked and I didn't hear a thing."

I decide not to dwell too much on the intrusion by Sebastian and instead go into the closet to drop off my dirty clothes into my suitcase. Yang is still asleep on the bed and I don't expect her to be awake anytime soon. Although I know she could wake up at any minute given how tough and durable she is.

"I'll eat when she wakes up." I shrug my shoulders and look over to the bed where Yang is.

I walk over to the bed and notice that she isn't lying flat like she was when I first put her on the bed. It's reassuring to know she has been moving during her sleep. It lets me know that she's alright. The problem I have now is that she is on her side facing the wall that the projector displays off of. I could lay near her, but there's also the fact that she's close to the edge of the bed which makes it that much more difficult to lay down.

An easy solution is to lay on the other side of her, but I want to see what's on TV. I debate on moving her but the fact that she rolled into that position means it's how she is comfortable. I continue to think how I could get myself onto the bed.

"Of all the times for you to get yourself KO'd, Yang . . . it's bad enough we're at Schnee Manor, but now you're practically non-existent."

I look around for the remote for the projector and find it at the foot of the bed. I turn on the projector and walk towards Yang's side of the bed. After a deep breath I lift the covers off of her and carefully crawl and slide my way underneath her arm before I turn onto my side so my back is pressed against her chest and my rear against her pelvis to spoon against her before I begin to casually channel hop.

_She won't mind._

I justify myself with Yang's enjoyment of having me close. I toss the covers over the two of us and bring Yang's arm over my collar bone. Eventually I find an action movie that doesn't seem to have a complicated plot. I keep the volume low and just focus on the action scenes. I'm not surprised that within the next 10 minutes I start to hear groans, and Yang starts to squirm, kick and stretch to get her motor skills working properly.

"Finally awake?" I ask with disinterest.

"I guess . . . what happened?" Yang lifts her arm off of my collar bone. I look over my shoulder to see her rubbing the back of her head, most likely where she was hit with Pyrrha's shield.

"You did something stupid . . . and I realized it too late. Don't you ever push yourself like that again, Yang. Am I clear?" I stare into her lilac eyes, but all she does is smile at me.

"Can't make promises, Kittycat. I can't let my pretty Kitty get hurt." She drapes her left arm over me and slides her right arm underneath me to pull me against her in a tight hug. "Wait . . . skin?"

"I'm topless, Yang." I answer her confusion. My blunt statement makes her jump slightly but before she can pull herself from me I grasp her wrists to deny her the ability to. "If you so as much slide an inch away from me I will kill you. We're dating, and we've already done the deed. You had me worried sick when you hit the ground. I want my girlfriend to hold me . . . now."

My words are cold and blunt, but my last sentence comes with shaky words, breaking the scolding attitude I have been maintaining. Thankfully I can feel Yang's grip tighten to the familiar rib-bruising amount, along with her breathing gracing the back of my neck.

"You worry too much. Know that?"

"Give me reason not to." I counter, earning a snicker from Yang.

"Well, I'm super durable for one, my semblance is meant for me to take a hit, I've been this reckless even before I met you and I'm perfectly fine now, see?" Yang's overly enthusiastic attitude forces a smile out of me, despite how much I want to yell at her for being so irresponsible.

"That doesn't mean put me in this situation again, got it?" I look over my shoulder to her lilac eyes staring right through me.

"Alright, alright." Yang shrugs her shoulders and diverts her attention back to squeezing me against her. "I should probably shower, though. I'll be quick."

Considering the icky feeling I had earlier that practically drove me into the bathroom I understand Yang's desire for hot water and lift my body off of the bed just enough to let her slip her arms away while she rolls over and goes straight for the bathroom door.

"Hey, what's in here?" She asks and I look over towards her to see she is eyeballing the silver plate cover.

"Two sandwiches." I answer. The moment I answer her, she starts to go through her drawers to get herself a fresh set of clothes then disappears into the bathroom without another word.

"I knew the bathroom was huge!" Yang shouts from inside. I shake my head and go back to channel surfing. It's not long before I can hear the shower running and light rustling that sounds like Yang stripping off her clothing in a very hastily fashion.

However, I don't get to find a show to watch before there's several knocks at the door. I slide out from underneath the covers and walk to the door, putting a hand on the white wood so I can call through it.

"Who is it?"

"It's Shun. Got a sec?" She asks with that somewhat-ghetto and arrogant tone of hers.

"Anyone else there?" I follow up, debating if I need a bra or not to open the door.

"You want to pat me down for a wire, too? I'm alone, Belladonna." She snarks with irritation in her voice.

I shake my head at her remark that could rival Weiss' sarcasm and Yang's impatience. I turn the knob and pull the door open to the orange-haired Faunus going wide-eyed at the sight.

"What did you want?" I keep one hand on the back of the door and the other on the wall, just shy of the doorway.

"You're . . . topless?" She looks at my chest, then back at me with confusion.

"This is my room. Why can't I be topless?" I counter her question. "Besides, we're both women."

"Women that are into **women**" she counter in return. "Anyway, just wanted to know how Sunflower's doin'."

"She's awake. She just went to take a shower. Want to wait for her to come out?"

"Just checkin'. Anyway, Mr Qrow took off earlier to a museum. Something about 'em having one of his old weapons on display with a forged signature. Let 'er know." Shun turns around and walks away without sparing another second. I'm not sure if she's being stubborn and not wanting to let Yang know that she cares, or if me being topless made her that uncomfortable. Either way I spare no time thinking on the matter and shut the door.

It's about 8 minutes before Yang works her way out of the bathroom, sporting a pair of black boyshorts without any flirtatious lettering, much to my surprise. She has her yellow bra tossed over her shoulder, possibly sharing my desire to remain as comfortable as possible in the fancy room we get to ourselves.

"I'm guessing the fish is yours?" Yang asks while she lifts off the cover for the plate and spots two smaller plates on top of a large one. She takes one of the plates that has my sandwich on it and passes it over the bed to me.

"Mhm." I take the plate from her and step off of the bed to sit at the nearby table where I was reading my book while she was dealing with Shun's back. "Oh, Shun came by to see if you were okay. That, and she wanted me to let you know that your uncle went to a museum. Some weapon had his signature on it."

"That's . . . not going to end well." Yang shivers. I'm certain she is able to piece together the situation with such little detail. I hope things don't escalate too far while we are in Atlas, although that's little to worry about with Weiss nearby.

"Your uncle's not a fan of his work being out?" I ask before taking my first bite of the sandwich. I'm completely impressed at how easily it is to tell that the fish is the freshest it can be, on top of being seasoned with spices I can't even hope to learn the names of.

"He doesn't sign his work, so that signature is forged. Plus, he would never give his work to a museum. He gives it out to be used. I bet he knows who that weapon was meant to be for. Uncle Qrow never forgets a job he's done. He could tell you every little thing he's done to my Babies and their limitations with range and so on. He's the best there is when it comes to weapon design." Yang explains to me before she starts to dive into her food.

Not so surprisingly she manages to finish way before me, leaving me to eat mine in silence while she watches TV. When I am done I leave the plate on the table and stand up to walk towards Yang before she makes a quick observance.

"Hey, those have your emblem on 'em. When'd you get those?" She smiles.

"These? I got these in Patch." My answer makes Yang quirk a brow before a look of half-hearted realization hits her.

"Wait . . . What store?" She asks, still uncertain, but having a good clue where I received the underwear.

"Just some regular place. I added the emblem myself. Took me a night in the attic to get it right." I lie and walk towards the worried blonde.

"Oh . . . alright." There's a sigh of relief between words. I decide to tease her a little more and start to tug her towards the edge of the bed in an attempt to sit her up. "What's with the tugging?"

"I want to sit on your lap. That stupid agreement I made with you has me used to it." I roll my eyes at the stupefied look on her face. The clear elation she has to me wanting to sit on her lap makes her look like a kid when they are allowed to get something from the toy store. Within seconds Yang is sitting at the edge of the bed and patting her lap to welcome me.

"I swear, you're an open book." I say to her with folded arms.

"Only for my pretty Kitty." Yang answers with that confident smile.

"That reminds me, I have a question for you." I step up to Yang and turn around to take a seat, but just before my rear touches her lap I lean forward to make her gaze down at what she calls 'the Bellabooty'. The several coughs of surprise she lets out after she reads the simple question makes me smile at the job well done.

"Y-you liar!" She shouts with a lack of control over her voice while she recovers from her mild coughing fit.

"That's for gloating about making me blush." I answer and finally plant myself on Yang's lap with my right leg crossed over my left.

"H-how long have you known about that?"

"The same day Shun took Ruby." I don't bother looking over my shoulder. Instead I reach behind me for Yang's wrists and make her wrap her arms around my waist while I look at the TV. "I'm not mad. Just thought I'd get you back. I'm sure she'll love hearing about this one."

"No need to go that far! I have a reputation to keep, Kittycat!"

"Don't we all?" I look at Yang and give her a smirk that lets her know that there is no winning this battle with me. After she sees my look I hear a loud sigh before her arms tighten slightly and we both begin to watch TV together.

"When's your next match?"

"After the Vytal Festival. Apparently nobody wants to face me, so they're searching for anybody that wants to go against me. May not be much of a challenge. It'll be an easy money maker" Yang practically gloats.

_Money maker . . . Oh!_

"Speaking of money maker. Jiu tried to screw you out of your earnings. Tried to say that the payment was forfeited when Pyrrha and I stopped fighting after your injury."

"What!? I'm going there tomorrow and I swear I'll-" I reach behind me and pinch Yang's hip as hard as I can "Ow! Shit! Blake that hurts!"

"I said **_tried_**. Weiss took care of it . . . and Nora broke his legs." I look over my shoulder to see Yang smiling at the thought. "It's in my black jacket."

"Awesome. Hold onto it for me, alright? Just don't spend it all." Yang starts to lean back, pulling me down to the bed before she reaches for the covers to drape them over the two of us. "I'll give Ice Queen a big hug when I get the chance."

"Don't break her back, Yang. I think that's the nicest thing she's ever done for you." I look over my shoulder with a serious gaze that lets Yang know to not even joke about it.

"I'm not gonna break her back. I'm gonna give her a legit hug. A warm, cuddly, Xiao Long embrace!" Yang reinforces her words by pulling me against her in a firm hug that is surprisingly far from painful, yet also something I doubt I could get out of. "The secret is to lock my grip so I don't squeeze too hard."

I raise an eyebrow that her explanation, but when I look down at her arms I notice she is holding her forearms with each hand in a self-roman handshake. It's upsetting to know that she lacks that much control over her strength to resort to a method like that, but it's effective nonetheless.

"Good. What are we doing for the rest of the night?"

"Well~ we can always try~"

"No."

"Please! Come on, I'd totally do it for you if I could!"

"Yang . . . if you ask for a threesome using my semblance once more time. . ."

"But . . ."

"If you want two cats, I can get Shun." I look over my shoulder and stare at her. My counter to her request dies with my comment.

". . . Not cool, Blake. You know I'm over her." Yang brushes her cheek against my back and sighs. The strong grip around my torso weakens barely, but it's still enough for me to notice that it's become a half-hearted grip.

"I didn't mean anything by it, Yang." I grip her arms to force her hug to loosen a little more, making it capable of me to turn around and look her in the face. "You're so sensitive when you want to be."

"Only when it comes to you."

"I guess I still have a bit of a wall to break down." I smile and bring my nose to brush against hers.

"A wall?" She asks me while gently separating our bodies, leaving a small gap between our chests and torsos.

"I'm still adjusting, Yang. I'm . . . I'm not used to having someone to rely on with complete confidence." I explain.

"Is this about Ad-"

"Yang." I cut her off and look at her with a look that isn't of anger, but of a slight plea for that name to not be uttered. "Yes."

"Is that why you're such a sarcastic Kitty?" she smiles.

"I don't know. I just have a wall I don't want anyone to pass through. It's one of those 'one bad apple spoils the bunch' sort of things."

Yang gives a shrug to my words and instead tosses the covers away while she reaches around the bed to find her bra to place it on. She switches to sitting with her legs crossed and her palms on her knees with a smile radiating on her face.

"Well, I'm not gonna go and give a whole speech about why you should be able to open up to me and all that crap if that's what you're expecting. I can't convince you to trust me with every fiber of your being. Trust is earned, not persuaded." Yang speaks very nonchalantly. It's almost like she rehearsed this before.

"You went through this with Shun, didn't you?" I ask. My question earns a facial expression from Yang that lets me know I caught her off guard.

"That obvious? I mean . . . she had a secret back then that she wouldn't tell me. I sort of pushed a little hard and we didn't talk for like a week. Just trying to not make the same mistakes." Yang explains and pats her lap as a pillow offering.

"It was a little too mature coming from you." I tease while I place my head on her lap, laying on my back in a very comfortable position.

"What? Give me a _little_ slack here. At least I'm trying." Yang pouts, but before we can continue our conversation there's a knock at the door. In the same instant I sit up in the bed while Yang lays down to cover herself up since neither of us know who it is yet.

"Who is it?" I call out to the door while I walk towards our dresser where my bra sits on top. I grab it and make short work of putting it on while I listen for the answer.

"The royal Princess and her favorite flower!" The hyper, high-pitched voice is none other than Ruby.

I begin to walk over to answer the door, hearing a two-toned whistle from Yang as I approach it, possibly taking the opportunity to stare at my rear. When I reach the door I answer it in the same manner I did for Shun; only opening it a certain amount and leaning against the doorway in a way that blocks entry without me moving aside.

"What's up?" I ask when I open the door and come face to face with the White Rose couple.

"How's Yang doing?" Weiss asks with clear concern. Before I can answer, Yang calls out from the bed.

"Awww, you care! Come gimme a hug!"

_Oh boy . . . here we go._

I take a deep breath and step aside to let an almost stampeding Yang out the room to chase Weiss down and give the heiress a hug that I make note of for its lack in the usual back-breaking strength. Since Yang is barely dressed it makes it easy for me to see her muscles flex. The lack of the strong flexing brings me to the assumption that her hug is restrained as much as possible to avoid hurting her sister's girlfriend.

While the small episode is going on, Ruby and I share a couple of laughs to Weiss' reaction to getting a hug from Yang.

"Hey, Blake?" I look to Ruby, then back at Weiss and Yang while I answer.

"Hm?"

"How bad is Weiss' family? I mean like . . . the SDC."

"What makes you ask that?" I quirk an eyebrow at Ruby. For her to look at the negatives of something is rare. Especially to ask about the **cons** of Weiss' family.

"Well . . . Shun was skeptical when I said they are nice, and then told me to ask you about them because she didn't want to talk bad about Weiss' family to me." Ruby looks at me with eyes that practically beg for an answer. We're already here, so a small warning for her may be needed.

"They're definitely not kind to Faunus. Maybe you'll see a different side. Let's leave it at that." I answer just in time. Ruby doesn't have a chance to ask another question since Weiss and Yang are already back in ear shot.

Weiss practically power walks by Ruby and I, causing the small brunette to turn and chase her girlfriend while Yang comes back into our room with an accomplished smile on her face.

"See? I gave her a nice, gentle hug. She'll probably want another one at some point. My hugs are amazing." Yang gloats.

"Even if she did enjoy it, it's too out of character for her to ask you for a hug." I scoff. "Anyway, I'm going to try to sleep; I'm exhausted. If you do **_anything_** to me while I sleep, I'll have you sleep on the floor. Got it?"

"Crystal." Yang smiles and pats the bed. She's already laying down with plenty of space left for me to lay next to her. While I close my eyes and start to drift away, I can hear her shifting through channels to find something to watch.

_I wonder how long it'll take her to doze off too.  
_

* * *

**_(Approximately half an hour later)_**

A distinct sound manages to disturb my sleep. I open my eyes and look to my right to see the projector is still on. What's on the screen however is some sort of action movie that I decide to ignore. To my left is a sleeping Yang who has her arm draped over my torso that I carefully lift off of me so I can get out of bed.

That same sound slams into my ear yet again, causing me to wince and cover my ears in pain. I stumble over to the door and slowly open it to peek outside. I don't see anybody out there. In fact, all I notice is Weiss' door wide open with a single shadow in the doorway.

"But you two weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow! Why did you come back early?" I turn my head towards the 3-way intersection. That was Weiss' voice just now.

"Why are you so bothered? You're favorite sister-" _No . . . _ "is here to see you. It's been far too long. Besides, Father is stubborn with his feelings. He cares more than you think."

I pull my head into the room and close the door until it is just short of being caught by the latch so I can still listen in to the hallway conversation.

"Cares? Winter, you can't expect me to believe that man cares about me." Weiss' voice grows slightly angrier, but it's still very polite despite that. If anything it's more like a skeptical tone.

"Who's the heiress?" An amused chuckle comes from Weiss' sister.

"Don't you play that card on me. It means nothing." Weiss answers back. Eventually I see the two of them pass by the room through the slight crack I have in the door. At the same time I see Weiss' sister take an exaggerated step before stepping firmly into the carpet with her heel. The resulting sound sends me grunting and jerking away from the door with the familiar pain in my ears.

_What the hell is that?_

Before I can be put through the same ear-busting torture again, I search the room for my bow and make short work of covering my ears in hopes that the sound deafens slightly. I then go into one of the draws to pull out a pair of black shorts to wear with my yukata. The last thing I do is search for my scroll to place it inside my pocket.

_Shun probably heard that too. I need to check on her._

I look at the bed to see that Yang is still fast asleep. Without another word I leave the room, wandering down the hallway until I am halfway in the other wing.

_Great . . . I don't know where her room is._

I stand in the hallway with my arms folded, eventually finding a door open and the Head Maid we met earlier exiting.

"And you usually gotta move all this crap yourself?" A voice from within the door scoffs. It's definitely Shuns.

"Well, for accommodations I usually take care of arrangements myself to assure Miss Schnee's guests are given the best treatment possible." The maid answers with a smile purer than Ruby's

"Psh . . . you're a trooper. Thanks for the guidance. Plenty of room now. Oh, do I go to that same big room for breakfast?"

"The dining hall? We can bring your food to the room without a problem, Ms. Hit-"

"Name's Shun, and I'm fine with walking. Anyway, thanks again."

"I hope your headache goes away soon, Ms. Shun" Shun steps out the doorway to wave, also seeing me when the Head Maid walks by and gives a quick greeting.

"What's up, Belladonna?" Shun gives me that toothy grin of hers. I look over my shoulder to see Weiss' sister isn't in view and quickly make my way into Shun's room.

"Did it happen to you too?" I ask

"Huh?" Shun closes the door and gives me a confused look.

"That sound."

"So I wasn't hearing things? Like . . . clicking or somethin'."

"Winter Schnee and the SDC owner are both here. Keep it low profile until Mr. Qrow gets back." I say to her.

"Woah. Aren't they due back tomorrow?"

"They're early. I heard Weiss talking with her sister . . . their father is here too based on the convo."I explain.

"Great. Wonderful. I didn't have any plans tonight anyway. It's not like I wanted to enjoy one night of sleep without having to worry that some Faunus hating prick is going to be within the same building as me. Nah, I didn't want that one night of sleep anyway." Shun starts to rant. Instead of trying to stop her I lean against the door and watch her walk in circles while she continues to rant and rave. It's then that I notice the changes to her room. I assume it was set up just like mine and Yang's, so with that in mind it seems her bed was moved where the dresser should be. The dresser is against the same wall, but pushed into the corner to make room for the bed. The small nightstand that sits on the other side of the room is moved to the opposite corner in comparison to the bed, leaving an incredible amount of room in the center.

"Alright . . . so where is he?" She finally calms down enough to acknowledge my presence.

"I don't know. Honestly, I don't want to find out. I rather avoid him altogether. Just be careful near Winter . . . I think she makes that sound when she-" Before I can finish there's a knock on the door. I keep leaning against the wall, and when Shun opens the door it covers me from whoever is on the other side.

"Umm . . . we're looking for Weiss."

_Jaune?_

"You're in the wrong hallway." That voice is definitely Ruby's father.

"Yeah, down the hall and all the way at the end, I think. Somewhere down there." Shun adds very nonchalantly.

"Sorry." With that one word it is so easy for me to picture Pyrrha's apologetic face.

"This may not be good. Winter is in Weiss' room." I say once the door is closed.

"Look, we can't walk on eggshells just because the asshole Schnees are back. Let Mr. Tai know, if anything he needs to keep Ruby and Sunflower out of trouble."

_Wait . . . Is Ruby in Weiss' room?_

"Give me a sec." I reach into my pocket and call Ruby's scroll. There's a long series of rings before her enthusiastic voice announces that it's her answering machine. "Ruby, Weiss' sister and father are back ea-"

"Blake?" Ruby's voice takes over in a rushed whisper.

"Ruby, you okay?"

"Yeah, umm . . . I'm kind of in the bathroom an-"

"Ruby that's disgusting." I snap at her.

"Not like that! I just . . . I heard Weiss hint that there's nobody in her room 'cause someone was walking with her, so I hid in the bathroom. I should've hid in the closet."

"That's Weiss' sister. Try not to let your relationship get caught in the open, alright? Not without your dad or uncle around at least. I'm not sure what either of those two will do." I listen in as Ruby goes quiet, tuning in to some background noise which turns out to be a muffled conversation between Weiss and Winter. Just by the voices and Ruby's stuttering I realize she's been discovered, and the conversation refuses to take a friendly turn until I hear Pyrrha's voice enter the mix and lead Ruby out under the excuse that her father called.

To see if things are going alright I open the room door and peek down the hallway to see Jaune and Ruby walking towards me, but instead of coming into this wing they turn right and disappear into the perpendicular hallway.

"Alright." I hang up my scroll and look to Shun who nods her head, indicating she was able to hear my scroll perfectly fine.

"Go talk to Mr. Tai before anything else goes wrong." Shun gestures me to the door and points me directly across the hall to knock.

"Mr. Xiao Long?" I call out softly while hitting the wooden door with the back of my hand. I don't need to wait long before the door is opened, but it looks like he is on his scroll for the moment.

"So you're done there? What the hell did you do? . . . You did what!? Qrow, how the hell do you manage that? . . . It's a museum, Qrow. That shouldn't be possible, even for you. . . Believe me, I'm glad you didn't wreck the place. Hold on." Mr. Xiao Long lowers his scroll and smiles to me. "Yes, Blake?"

"Weiss' sister and father are both back." I say.

He pauses a moment and looks over me towards Shun who nods her head, then back at me before he steps aside and lets me in. He closes the door behind me and continues his conversation with Ruby's uncle.

"Qrow . . . he's back. Will I mean. . . I know it was tomorrow, but he's here now. Blake just told me. Good, I can't watch after two fauna, a brawler, a hyper brunette, and his own daughter by myself . . . Alright, hurry up." He quickly hangs up his phone and gives off a loud sigh. "This is too much drama for me."

"I know Shun and I need to be on guard, but why worry about Yang?" I tilt my head.

"Because Yang's mouth gets her into trouble. Trouble that can't be avoided unless Qrow is here. I wasn't joking when I said that Will is scared of him. Names and prestige are two things that hold no value to Qrow. He won't hesitate to beat Will to an inch of his life if he says the wrong things . . . It's happened before." Mr. Xiao Long sits down on one of the two beds in the room and gestures me to take a seat on the other.

"So . . . how is Mr. Qrow even allowed in here?" I ask while I sit down, somewhat skeptical of the situation.

"Well, let's just say that after Qrow came back after that little episode . . . He needed a full restock on Atlesian Knights. When Qrow comes to take care of something, whether it's just say 'hi' or ask for a favor . . . he's going to do it." Mr. Xiao Long chuckles and goes on to explain the entirety of what happened that one day where Mr. Qrow completely massacred an army of Atlesian Knights.

It's an impressive tale that makes my impression of Mr. Qrow's combat ability skyrocket from what it already was. It makes me wonder just how much of a legend is Qrow Branwen.

"He seems a lot more . . . relaxed to be someone that powerful." I whisper, not realizing I said it loud enough for Ruby's father to hear.

"Maybe . . . but he did his job as a team leader. I was against him being leader to be honest. He was always irresponsible. I thought him being chosen was a mistake. That I would have been the better leader. Time proved me wrong."

_Sounds like a familiar situation I witnessed at the start of Beacon._

"Well, I need to get back to Yang. I left her sleeping like a baby." I smile and stand up from the bed.

"Alright. Keep Yang out of trouble for now. I'm going to go see Will." I give a nod of my head and leave the room to head back over towards mine. When I get back inside I can see Yang is watching the action movie that I woke up to.

"There you are! Where'd you go?" Yang smiles at me. I decide to play with her a little bit and give her only a portion of the truth.

"I went to Shun's room." The look she gives me makes me patiently await for the follow-up question that never arrives.

I walk over to the bed and slip of my Yukata before climbing in. Yang proves to be overeager and almost crushes me at first when she places her arms around me to adapt the position we had before we fell asleep.

"Don't fall asleep like that. I don't want my arm to go numb." Yang comments.

I take a deep breath and shake my head. With the stress of knowing the biggest target for the White Fang is within 100 meters of me is stressful and mentally exhausting. On top of the fact that Ruby narrowly evaded Weiss' sister thanks to Jaune and Pyrrha's assistance, I now need to keep the hostile interrogation I heard earlier a secret from Yang. I doubt she would take kindly to her sister being stared down and intimidated.

Needless to say I fall asleep within seconds. Within the time that I consider to be a blink, it's already morning, Yang is already wide awake based on the humming of several different rhythms she enjoys. I try staying still, wanting nothing more than to fall back asleep and find out that my next blink brings me two or possibly three hours into the future, but Yang notices something that destroys my hopes for sleep.

"I saw your ears twitch, Blake. Wakey wakey~"

Accompanied by Yang's calling is a loud impact to the bed that makes me bounce slightly. I have no doubt in my mind that she just jumped onto the mattress with the purpose of giving me a mild shock to wake me up. Unfortunately her plan works like a charm.

"Give me a break, Yang!" I slowly sit up in the bed and look down at myself. Everything from my waist down is covered by the black and yellow blanket. However, from the waist up I am completely exposed. Normally, I wouldn't be bothered, but I definitely recall wearing something over my chest to sleep.

"Yang . . ." I turn to my left to look at Yang who is laying down on the bed after her initial dive-bomb to wake me up.

"Hm?" She gives an innocent and curious tilt of her head before propping her elbows onto the mattress so she can rest her head in her hands. "Yeah?"

"Where's my top?" I ask with a lack of amusement.

"I didn't fondle you, Kittycat. I just wanted to y'know . . . cuddle against you while we slept. My hands stayed around your waist, I promise."

The fact that Yang doesn't get nervous or super defensive leads me to take her word as truth.

"Mind getting me a shirt?"

"Can I choose any shirt?" Yang's eyes practically light up.

"As long as it covers me up." I shrug. All of the shirts I brought with me are very conservative, so there's not a worry that Yang will manage to pick out something inappropriate.

Yang climbs off of the bed and starts to rummage through the drawers for a shirt. I am surprised to see the shirt she comes back with is actually one of hers. It's the yellow strapless top she usually favors with her emblem sitting over the left breast.

I decide not to argue since I did tell her any shirt would do. I check around the bed until I spot my bra and place it on, then put on the shirt she gave me. The smile I see on her face after I finish putting it on is a look I'd expect more from Ruby than Yang.

"You make that shirt look better than when I wear it." Yang's compliment draws a smile to my lips.

"Thanks, Yang. What're we doing?"

"Well, food first. Weiss came by and said for us to go by the dining hall whenever we're ready." Yang goes on to explain a few things that happened while I was asleep.

"Dad stopped by too. He wanted to see how you're doing, and I heard Uncle Qrow finally got back last night. I thought he would've gotten lost in the city." Yang snickers, all the while dressing herself in her usual outfit. "Oh . . . and you may want to make sure your bow is neat and tidy."

"Why?" I raise an eyebrow. Yang's tone when she said that was filled with concern. It completely caught me off guard.

"Oh, Weiss' family is back it seems. Oh! I got a call from The Pit. They're talking about my next opponent being some chick called 'Tifa Lock-Heart' or something like that. I dunno, it's not definite yet. Anyway, let's get going. I'm starved!"

_Day Two at Schnee Manor . . . Let's hope it all goes well._


	22. An Alcoholic's Gamble

_**So umm . . . Here's Chapter 22. Surprisingly my story can still follow canon and have my own twists here and there, so this is where I begin to carefully adapt my way into Season 3. Hopefully I transition it carefully enough. **_

_**This chapter is a majority of Chapter 18, but in a different POV and such. You guys know how I operate. Going way back with my roots on this one.**_

_**Took me a little longer to get this chapter done, but with the length of it I would hope there'd be n complaints about the late delivery :P This is my first chapter that's gone into Penta-digits, stopping at 10,405 words (Prior to AN).**_

_**Anyway, enjoy, and please leave a review!**_

* * *

**Chapter 22 – An Alcoholic's Gamble  
**

I stare at my scroll in complete paralyzing shock.

**Winter:** Heard you're home. Came back a day early. See you soon.

_Why is she back early? Wait, is Father with her? No . . . just one night. Give me one night of peace with my girlfriend before all of this happens!_

It's not that I'm unhappy that my sister is back. I'm more worried about what will happen between her and Ruby, or between Father and Ruby. Thankfully I'm close with Winter.

"Weiss? You okay?" Ruby leans over my shoulder to take a peek at my scroll. I'm far too worried about my sister's arrival to bother stopping her. I need to keep her away from Ruby at all costs. Winter is the Queen of Manipulation and Interrogation; she can get an answer out of anybody. Within the company she's able to find out secrets between the faceless workers and single out any stories that do not run parallel with the rest. Her observation skills are detective level, and her ability to get people to follow her rule are even more exceptional than Father's.

"Who's Winter?" Ruby's question breaks my thoughts and draw my attention towards the worried brunette behind me.

"She's my sister. My _older_ sister." I sigh. It's another moment before I stand up and start to search for her name in my contacts. "I need to make a call. The universal remote is on the side of my bed. Help yourself."

I walk out the room and trigger my scroll to call Winter. It's seconds before she answers and I can practically picture her smug, high-class smile when she answers.

"And how is my _favorite_ little sister doing?" She asks with a slow, practiced tone.

"I'm your _only_ sister, Winter. How far are you?" My tone radiates my impatience to play her game of words.

"I'm just getting through the front gate. Care to meet me downstairs?"

"I'll be there." I clench my fists and grit my teeth before I ask my follow-up question. "Is Father with you?"

"He's a couple minutes behind me. I told him I received a call that you were home and he made a point of coming back as well." Winter lets out a mix between a hum and a chuckle. "I'm sure he'll be happy to see you."

"Since when is Father _ever_ happy?" I snark. While I talk to her I continue to walk through the long hallway in only my socks, making my way to the familiar spiral staircase that I take all the way down to the second floor, and as usual take the half-flight of stairs that leaves me at the top of another flight and overlooking the greeting hall.

I take a moment to look around, and for once think about the few happy memories I have had in this area. My first time using my semblance to skate barefoot across the black, reflective marble. When I was so excited to go to town for the first time with Sebastian that I slid down the golden handrail, requiring him to catch me at the bottom before any serious damage could occur to myself. Back then I was happy. Back then I had freedom, and little responsibility as a Schnee. Back then I actually had a family.

My happy memories aside, I stand straight and patiently wait for my sister to arrive through the large double door. It's a short wait, and soon enough the door opens with an echoing sound of the latch releasing. I look on as the tall, white and blue clad woman steps across the marble floor with the echoing clicks of her stilettos. There's not the slightest smile on her face as she walks up to me and looks down, flaunting our height difference that is further enhanced by her footwear, and my lack of. The emotionless face soon changes to a soft smile and her arms reach around me to touch my back, tugging me in for a light-contact hug.

"I hope Beacon's treated you well. It's been too quiet without you."

"It has. I have my team over for roughly three days. I also have another team of four here. They're friends of mine." I explain. "Then there are three more-"

"I could care less about our company. Let's go to your room. I expect to hear all of your stories of how lackluster Vale must be in comparison to Atlas." Winter chuckles.

"I actually enjoy it there. It's a completely different atmosphere. The populace could be a little more acknowledging of a Schnee, but I don't expect royal treatment just because I stepped out of an airship." While I speak Winter starts to walk up the flight of stairs with me following at her side.

"Hm . . . Vale's humbled you quite a bit. Or perhaps it's the fact that you have some new friends." Winter questions me as we reach the door to the stairwell, but she stops and shakes her head. "Let's check something first."

"It's hardly humbled me. I just have more to learn and study. I'm not perfect, not yet at least." Winter continues to walk down the hallway, eventually making a right, then one more right before coming to a room that she opens for a brief moment and closes.

"Just remember . . . the point of being the big shot is not to know everything. You have people to know all of the tedious things for you." Winter explains while we go to the stairwell within the three-way intersection to go to the fourth floor. When we exit we are just a few meters away from the two rooms housing Team JNPR.

"I know that. Father doesn't seem to, though. I must know every single detail of the company, down to the wire." I sigh.

"Of course you do. I meant to say that you don't require random knowledge such as Grimm populations within trade routes or knowing a triangulated distance between Atlas, Vale and Vacuo. Those are things you will have people for. Stressing yourself isn't very healthy." She has a way of speaking so calmly that it's almost difficult to keep a guard up with her. Sometimes I forget that she's always scouring for information.

"I'm learning what I need to in order to become the perfect Huntress. I doubt you'd understand something so 'barbaric' and 'uncivilized'." I respond to Winter, who raises a slightly accusing eye at me.

"Someone's a hostile Snow Princess today. I thought my little sister would be happy to see me." Winter folds her arms while we walk down the hallway, coming towards the three-way intersection quickly with the swift pace we both maintain.

"But you two weren't supposed to be back until tomorrow! Why did you come back early?" I ask with a tone between anger, annoyance, and curiosity.

"Why are you so bothered? Your favorite sister is here to see you. It's been far too long. Besides, Father is stubborn with his feelings. He cares more than you think."

I look to my right at Winter and give her one of my most skeptical looks to date.

"Cares? Winter, you can't expect me to believe that man _cares_ about me" I retort and turn forward to continue walking. She grabs my attention again with a few, slightly muffled chuckles that forces me to look her way before she decides to share a remark I know she is holding back.

"Who's the heiress?" her chuckles become more audible, along with her firm steps into the carpet that cause her stilettos to rip through the material until they make contact with the marble floor beneath.

"Don't you play that card on me." I respond while still looking at her before I finally turn my head away to face forward and turn just as we near the intersection to break towards my room. "It means nothing."

The two of us continue to walk down the hallway. My thoughts of my sister and father being home a day early makes me forget that Ruby is still in my room. I'd prefer to avoid her meeting my sister without others being around to help divert attention. If Ruby and I are left alone with Winter it will be far too easy for her to push and prod for information from the two of us.

"Actually . . . how about we go to your room?" I almost shout. My out of character tone causes me to clench my fists and flinch at how suspicious it was to ask such a thing out of the blue, and in such a haste-filled manner.

"Why would you want to go to my room? It's atrocious in comparison." Winter shakes her head and folds her arms. She stops in the middle of the hallway, causing me to stop and turn around to face her. She folds her arms and arches her right eyebrow at me with a questioning look. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong. I would just prefer a different atmosphere. We always talk in my room."

"Hm . . ." Winter looks at me, then gazes over me towards the end of the hall. At the same time I look over my shoulder to see what she is looking at. I just barely notice a faint shadow in the doorway that moves out of sight. There's no doubt in my mind that Winter noticed it, and that shadow could be none other than Ruby.

"Who's in your room?" My head snaps back to face her. The first thing I come to notice is her piercing gaze that surpasses any 'ice stare' I am capable of giving off.

"There's nobody in my room." I lie. Hopefully Ruby's heard the conversation and is thinking of a way to cover up her being in my room. A perfect story would be that she came to my room to talk to me and since I wasn't there she decided to wait.

"Good, then it shouldn't be a problem talking there." She offers me her warmest half-smile before walking by me and continuing to the room.

_Great . . . My sister's about to meet my girlfriend, and now I need to be careful and hide the fact that my girlfriend is in fact my girlfriend and not just a girl that is a friend. Wonderful, just wonderful._

I snap back from my inner monologue just in time to see that we are just reaching the door. The two of us walk into the room, and immediately I notice that the closet door and bathroom door are both closed, making it tough for me to know which one Ruby hid herself in.

"Hmm . . . you've been back for only a day and this room is a mess." Winter rolls her eyes, referring to the bedsheets that are slightly wrinkled, the universal remote that's sitting on my bed, my heels that are laid out at the foot of the bed, and of course my pillows being slightly out of place.

"I don't think it's that big of a deal." I answer and move to sit on my bed. Winter follows my lead and takes a seat next to me.

"That's your problem. You don't realize that every little thing is a big deal."

_You just contradicted yourself . . ._

"Winter, as much as I _adore_ making a big deal out of little things . . . did you really make us walk all the way to my room just to complain about its tidiness?" The look I give my sister earns a sigh and a look that lets me know my point was made.

"Case and point. How's Beacon treating you? I trust you're behaving yourself. The last thing I need to hear is that you're a little flunky."

"I'll have you know I'm at the top of all my classes! A Schnee excels at everything and settles for nothing less." I fold my arms and look at Winter who only smiles and chuckles at my retaliation.

"That's my sister." She says, and with that split second of silence between us I can hear a ringtone going off. I know for a fact it isn't my scroll. The tone I have on my scroll is a lullaby that is distinctly different from the almost punk-rock-techno mix of instruments. It takes me a moment to realize that the sound is coming from the bathroom which is where Ruby must be hiding.

_Damnit, Ruby! Can you be any less subtle!?_

"Weiss . . ." Winter begins. At the same time the sound disappears and her head turns to me with a stern stare that lets me know she is not pleased in the slightest. ". . . who's in the bathroom . . . and why did you lie to me?"

"I . . . I think I left my scroll in there. I was washing my face and doing my hair so I kept my scroll near me. It's hardly a big deal . . . I'll just-" I start to stand up from the bed, before I can make it to my feet something bumps into my chest and pushes me back down. When I look down I see Winter's arm fully extended and blocking my path.

"I'm nowhere close to being an ignoramus, Weiss." Winter looks at me with a gaze of disappointment and hurt. She's without a doubt the closest person to me within the family, although I am sometimes unsure if the inverse is true.

Winter stands up from the bed and starts to walk over to the bathroom door. However, just before she can make it to the knob the door is opened and Ruby slowly tilts her head back to meet my sister's glare.

"Woah . . . Weiss, who's this?" Winter takes a step backwards and turns her head to look at me with her arms folding underneath her chest. Her stance radiates impatience and the tapping of her right foot against the carpet brings an uneasiness to me that I haven't felt in a while.

"Oh, ummm . . . I'm Ruby! I-uh . . . Weiss' partner!" Ruby stammers. It would've been much better if she just kept her mouth shut. The last thing I need is fuel for my sister's fire, and Ruby's informal mannerisms can be a prime target if Winter's mood is as bad as I think it to be.

Winter's attention darts back to Ruby after she speaks. She carefully eyes over Ruby, even raising an eyebrow at one point. After a few moments of ear-ringing silence she finally decides to speak up.

"She's the one I saw in the magazine!" Winter shouts with realization. She places her right hand on her hip and leans forward to match heights with Ruby, eying my silver-eyed dolt down to the point that Ruby feels intimidated enough to break eye contact. The discomfort I'm able to see on Ruby's face almost makes me forget the obvious question that Winter raised.

"Woah, what magazine?" I ask, clenching my fists at the thought that Ruby's already been caught by the media.

"Some gossip crap that has a photo of you in Vale. Questions and whatnot as to if you have a love interest. It's all an attempt to make sales as it always is. I mean it's not like-" Winter pauses mid-sentence and her entire facial expression changes while she is looking at Ruby. In turn I turn to Ruby to see what it is that caught Winter's attention. I notice a faint twinkle and hone in on that shine to see that it's the necklace I got Ruby that has the Schnee crest on it. Through all the stress of my family being around I made the one mistake of forgetting my gift for Ruby. I never took the time to explain how rare something like that is, mainly because of her need and desire to pay me back in some way, shape, or form. Ruby not knowing the value behind that necklace now has my sister one hundred times more suspicious.

". . . Is that . . . a Schnee necklace?" Winter eyes the necklace for a moment longer before shifting her gaze to me. The accusing glare in her eyes sends a shiver up my spine, and when she takes a step towards Ruby I practically jump between them and split the distance to keep them apart.

"This is very easy to explain!" I raise my hands up and gestures for my sister to calm down. Winter still has a calm expression about her, but I notice the daggers she keeps staring at Ruby that makes her cling to my shoulders.

"How can you explain someone wearing the family emblem?" Winter's eyes dart to me. She turns around and walks away a few steps before turning back around, waving her right hand while she talks. It's a habit she's developed, and something I do at times. "There's not a jeweler alive that can create that aside from the one here in Atlas that can't do it without a Schnee's verification." Winter looks between Ruby and I until I reach behind me with both hands to assure Ruby remains directly behind me which forces Winter's eyes back onto me. "I definitely didn't ask for this, and I doubt anybody else in the family would have reason to. Weiss," Her eyes sharpen on me, challenging me for the truth, "who is this girl?"

_I can't keep up this lie at this rate. Ruby's shaking, Winter's blocking every possible excuse I can create . . . I just need to get Ruby out of here._

"I . . . She . . . It's . . ." I wince at my constant stuttering. My sister's assertive nature easily powers through my own and leaves me defenseless to her onslaught of questions.

"M-My name's Ruby Rose." Ruby calls out from behind me, realizing the growing panic I'm in.

"Okay," Winter places a hand on her chin for a few seconds before she continues to speak, "'Rose' doesn't ring a bell to me. You don't have a family with any prestigious accomplishments, nor do you look like there's anything special about you either-" Winter starts to narrow down the possible origins of my girlfriend, but then Ruby cuts in again and makes me wince at the fact that she would have the audacity, courage, or down right stupidity to cut off my sister mid-sentence.

"I'm attending Beacon, actually." Ruby practically squeaks out her answer, having no form of voice behind it aside from that of a scolded teenager.

"Aren't you a little young to be attending Beacon?" Winter hones in on that small fact. It's her method of finding the truth, and a very effective one. She challenges everything said to her and the slightest hesitation lets her know that it's not as it seems, although this time it looks like Ruby and I can get a break since this is pretty much the first truth of the evening.

". . . Weiss said the same thing when we met . . . After she yelled at me for knocking over her stuff." I lower my head at Ruby's memory of how we met. I'm less than proud of it to say the least. Winter on the other hand looks towards me and gives a nod. I wrote home the first night, practically ranting about a clumsy girl that nearly blew up all of my dust and had the audacity to speak back to a Schnee.

_At least we've changed the topic . . ._

"You know what . . . you two are seriously dodging the question." My sister's tone takes an angry shift. Her momentary outburst results in her dropping her formal method of speaking and ask a question that has a single ounce of slang that lets me know she is through beating around the bush. "Weiss, are you dating this chick?"

The question causes Ruby's grip on my shoulders to tighten until I need to reach back and grasp her wrists before the pain can force me down to a knee. My sister stands with her arms folded, waiting for an answer to the question she has simmering in the air. For a moment both of our eyes meet. My eyes pleading with hers for the subject to be changed, but neither her stance nor gaze waiver.

"Weiss! Ruby!" A loud, optimistic voice calls from the door. Immediately the three of us all look at the open doorway to see Pyrrha standing there with a bright smile. "Oh, you two have a guest. Sorry to interrupt." Pyrrha looks towards Ruby and I and widens her smile just a bit. The well-hidden motion puts me at ease to know that she's here to help. "I actually um . . . need to borrow Ruby for a moment. Her father wants to see her."

_Excellent thinking Pyrrha! You're the greatest._

"Weiss," Winter says my voice in a much calmer tone than earlier, "when were you gonna tell me that Pyrrha Nikos is here?"

I wince at another mild informality I hear in her speech. She's still mad, but trying to mask it for the moment.

"I-I honestly don't like the attention. I'm just spending time with friends." Pyrrha smiles and gives a small nod to my sister before she diverts her attention back towards Ruby. "Ruby, your dad."

I reach behind me and push Ruby towards Pyrrha. The terrified brunette practically jogs to the doorway to leave and at the same time, Pyrrha walks into the room and smiles at my sister. With someone of prestige like Pyrrha nearby, my sister won't have a choice but to keep herself properly represented.

I take a deep, slow inhale through my nose and let it out as quietly as I can. I'm surprised that Pyrrha's switch went off without any trouble. All I need to do now is keep Winter here long enough to forget about the ordeal, and more importantly forget about Ruby.

"This is quite the treat." Winter walks to the bed and takes a seat. "Pyrrha Nikos, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Winter Schnee, Weiss' older sister."

I watch as Pyrrha delays her reaction and only answers after she closes the door.

"Please, 'Pyrrha' is just fine. I was unaware Weiss had an older sister." she respond. She remain at the doorway, allowing a few more moments for Jaune and Ruby to retreat before closing it.

"So, you're attending Beacon with Weiss?" Winter asks. Pyrrha goes to sit next to my sister and gestures me to sit next to her with a hand motion that is blocked from Winter's view by her body.

"I am. Weiss' was kind enough to invite my team and I to spend the night. We bumped into each other by coincidence near the . . ." Pyrrha pauses, looking up towards the ceiling while she attempts to remember the name of the restaurant across from the nightclub that Yang wasted little time in turning into a fight club

"The Atlesian Night, Pyrrha." I say to her. Pyrrha has a little ' that's right ' look on her face as she confirms the name in her own memory.

"That's the one. After a few events, neither of our parties ate, so Weiss invited us here for dinner and a night of sleep. I was just heading to the room I am sharing when Ruby's father asked me to find her for him." The moment Pyrrha finishes her sentence, Winter turns her head and looks at me with a wrinkled brow and look of complete confusion.

"Weiss? Why are you making her share a room? We have more than enough rooms to give everyone their own." Winter keeps looking at me, then looks away to space out in her own thoughts while I answer.

"I thought about it, but sharing space is how both of our teams are adjusted to. For both us it has been four persons to one room. I have them assigned with two per room." The look on my sister's face tells me that she isn't buying that it is the only reason for this setup, and I suppose there was an ulterior motive for this, but I don't want to say what it is in front of Pyrrha.

"Actually," Pyrrha cuts in, "I'm having umm . . ." Pyrrha's face begins to redden. I start to wonder what she is going to say. I already feel bad that she's lied to my sister twice. The last thing Pyrrha is, is a liar and I don't want her to push herself to cover for me.

_Just be honest Pyrrha._

"Q-quality time- Yes, that's it . . . quality time. You see, my team is always together, and um . . . because of that I rarely get to hold a proper conversation with one of my teammates. Weiss was simply setting up accommodations to allow for that per my request."

_. . . A little too honest._

"I see." Winter's currently looking at Pyrrha but quickly changes her sights to me, "That's very nice of you. So," her eyes change back to Pyrrha, "it's a guy I'm assuming?"

_If you can call him that._

"Well, um- I wouldn't say it in that manner. He's . . ." Pyrrha starts to juggle words in her head, trying to find a word that fits Jaune without being rude, but there is only one word I can think of that simplifies his personality.

"He's dense. Extremely dense." I interrupt and go on to explain why I say so. "My team and the other two members of her team can tell she likes him, but he's just . . . oblivious to it all."

"You're kidding." Winter cross her right leg over her left and gives me her full attention. Pyrrha opts to stay quiet while I explain her situation with Jaune.

"I'm not. He's completely oblivious to her hints. As a matter of fact, he even took her to Beacon's prom." I fold my arms and shake my head. Most people would become a couple after a prom night. Yang and Blake happened to be the only couple I'm aware of, but I'm certain there were others that the prom managed to bring together.

"So he took her to prom and thought it was just as friends?" Winter pieces together the implied.

"Exactly. He's the team leader by the way . . . doesn't exactly take much pride in it. She's taken countless hours out of her day to train him to better his swordsmanship as well. All of which goes unnoticed in his eyes as anything more than friendship and team bonding."

"Well . . . I think it's good that he's not one of the pigs that assume every girl wants him simply through a basic conversation." Winter defends, and I suppose it should be an admirable trait.

"It's one of his positives, but it's a lethal double-edged sword." My counter makes Winter nod and shake her head.

"I see . . . so he's a clueless man with low self-esteem, and I believe I am being generous with that evaluation." Winter folds her arms, closes her eyes, and enters her little world of unlimited calculations. She starts to nod her head while she is deep in thought, and after a minute she stands up and opens her eyes. Winter walks in front of Pyrrha and appears to be scanning over the jade-eyed Spartan. "I think I have something that could fit you."

_Fit her? Winter you're not going to-_

"Excuse me?" Pyrrha asks almost instantly with complete confusion on her face.

"I'll explain. Weiss, be a dear and bring a brush to my room, please." Winter practically pushes Pyrrha by the back to get the two of them out of the room as quickly as possible. With how assertive my sister can be when her mind is made up, there's no way that I will be able to help Pyrrha out of this mess. It's going to be a really odd evening now.

I sigh and look on top of my dresser for a brush that would work on Pyrrha's hair. I doubt she would have that many tangles, and if she does it wouldn't be that hard to get them out. I scour the large white dresser in my room, looking over the several perfumes, nail polishes, and brushes. The brush I decide to use is a large, white brush with thousands of black bristles that are so clustered together it's hardly impossible to notice the space between them.

I decide to not rush to Winter's room. Instead I sit down on my bed and lean back with my arms wide apart, reaching for the sides of my bed.

"Weiss, this isn't going to end well. I wish Sebastian was here." I groan.

"It's not like you to be this under the weather with your sister home." The familiar voice makes me sit up in the bed and look right in front of me. Instead of seeing my dresser's mirror, I'm obstructed by the tall, well-dressed figure looking down at me with his typical smile and glowing red eyes.

"It's not that you dolt. I need someone to look after Ruby. Aren't you still escorting Mr. Qrow around?" I ask and fold my arms.

"He just finished with what he's doing. He went to get food from a fast food restaurant near the museum. I have approximately two minutes and thirty seven seconds before he is back at the limousine.

"I see." I take a deep breath, the trip from the museum to the manor is roughly forty-five minutes. Thirty minutes if traffic is good and the traffic lights decide to play nice.

"I'll make sure we're back quickly." He lowers down to a knee in front of me and reaches for my forehead. My vision crosses when I try to focus on his hand that reaches into my hair, carefully moving my bangs out of my face and behind my left ear in a neater way than how I had them. "Don't think too hard . . . you'll get grey hairs."

"Sebastian, you're an idiot." I smile and move to my feet. With the brush in hand I turn towards the door, opening it and turning off the light in my room.

"I'm simply one hell of a butler." He whispers, with the lights off in my room I see a very dim flash that marks his exit. His semblance is extremely helpful and I took the liberty of adding a few items around the mansion to assure that he can get anywhere at his own convenience.

_Okay . . . Winter said her room, that probably means her dressing room._

I quickly make my way towards the staircase, travelling one flight down to the next floor. When I walk out the elevator I see Winter walking towards me with a growing smile on her face.

"This is a good way to pass the time. I'm going to go get her little crush. Jaune Arc is his name, right?" She questions me before coming to a stop a few feet away.

"Winter, why are you enjoying yourself so much? What in Remnant's name are you planning?" I fold my arms, not very pleased at how things are unfolding.

"You know I love my soap operas. This is simply me getting to direct my own." Winter chuckles and turns down the perpendicular hall to head towards the wing where JNPR is. "Bring her to the garden when you're done. We'll be under the gazebo."

I shake my head and watch as Winter walks away with the loud clicks of her heel grazing my ears. I turn my attention back towards Winter's dressing room and continue to walk over. Just before I can find the door my scroll starts to buzz. I reach to my hip and take the small device out to see who messaged me, surprisingly it's a message from my father, but the contents make my eyes go wide and my heart race.

_**Father: **__In my work-study when you are finished with your sister._

_That's a little too blunt, even for him. Does he know?_

My arms begin to shake, accompanied by a steady pounding within my chest. If my father finds out already, then he could easily have Ruby kicked out if he isn't aware of Mr. Xiao Long being present, or Mr. Qrow. The last thing I want is for him to talk to Ruby by himself. I highly doubt that Ruby has the mental strength to deal with his barrage of insults and talking down on her.

_It'll be okay. Ruby's either with her sister, father, or JNPR, maybe even Shun._

I take my time with regrouping mentally before I head towards the room. The earlier worry about my Father turning into annoyance and reminding me how much of a burden he has been on my life. When I reach the doorway and step inside I am just in time to see Pyrrha opening Winter's closet, wearing one of Winter's older dresses. I can only imagine how hard it must be for Pyrrha to deal with my sister's assertiveness, but I have a mild feeling that Winter could actually mean well with this ordeal.

"I hope she hasn't been too much to handle. She's not the greatest at talking on level with people."

"It's not a problem, Weiss! She seems very active and calm. I get the feeling she's always moving." It's surprising how right Pyrrha is. Leave it up to the most positive person I've met to find some of the biggest positives about my sister.

"She's the Overseer-type" I begin to explain, gesturing Pyrrha to sit down at the large white dresser my sister keeps within the room. "She walks passed, says what needs to be done, then leaves before anybody realizes who it was that was talking.

When Pyrrha sits down I take the brush and start to tend to her ponytail. As expected there's not a lot to work with in the form of knots and tangles, making my job a simple maintenance. Pyrrha's hair is very smooth, long, and has a very nice amount of volume to it. I understand she keeps it in a ponytail for combat, but for what Winter's planning it may be better to go with a different style.

"You know, putting your hair down may be better." I let the small suggestion simmer in the air.

"I still don't understand what your sister is planning." I can see Pyrrha's facial expression in the mirror ahead of us, along with the sigh to follow.

_Is she really not following what Winter is planning?_

"Really? Pyrrha' you're definitely smart enough to figure out what she's planning. Think about it." I shake my head and start to comb through her hair again. After a few minutes of silence I finally hear Pyrrha speak up with a startle to her voice.

"T-this won't change anything between him and I!" Her surprise makes me chuckle

"You finally caught on." I shake my head and look at her reflection. "It may . . . I hate to admit it, but my sister is a specialist at manipulation. It's intimidating to say the least." I can't feel any more lingering knots and finally motion for Pyrrha to stand up. Out of her entire look I notice her shoes are the one thing that need replacing, and I know for sure that Winter has a red pair in her closet somewhere. "Hm . . . Take those off. I'll be right back."

I walk over to the sliding mirror that acts as Winter's closet door. I push one of the mirrors aside and walk into the massive storage of every fancy dress Winter ever wore. Underneath the dresses I notice several shoes lined up next to each other. Along the empty rack where the red dress must have been I can see a pair of red shoes to go with them, but at a glance I can tell they are too small. Instead I turn around to find another pair of red shoes that look like a closer fit, but I still have the slightest feeling that they'll be a little too small for Pyrrha. Thoughts aside I pick up the shoes and make my way out the closet to see that Pyrrha is just getting off her only remaining combat attire.

'"Here, I think these will fit you." I put the shoes down so she can wear them in place of her combat boots that have little fashion sense to go with the rest of her outfit.

"Weiss, why is your sister doing this?" Pyrrha questions me. I don't want to tell her that this is somewhat for Winter's own enjoyment. I know Winter has an alternative motive, and aside from that she probably enjoys playing the role of love doctor. Whether it be for her own amusement at the drama that could follow, or even at the thought of having the gratitude of a prestigious fighter to add to her resume.

"I have no idea, Pyrrha. I'm only following along because I do agree it's about time a step is made, and if neither of you are going to make a large push . . . then I suppose a third party will need to." There's a slight pause before I continue, making an attempt to usher the conversation away from my sister's motivations "By the way, why haven't you tried a little more? I know it's sort of tradition for the guy to ask the girl, but Jaune's too dense to notice things."

At my question Pyrrha looks over her shoulder at me and shakes her head, giving me a look that says I don't understand her situation at all. There's a possibility that I don't, but there can only be so much waiting before a move is made. It's gotten to the point that even I'm becoming agitated at Jaune's oblivious personality.

"I'm more worried about the feelings not being returned." Pyrrha turns around, the slight sound of the flats screeching on the marble floor rings in my ears while Pyrrha has to adjust to the new material below her feet. "It's kind of hard to kill the awkwardness when we live in the same dorm room. I'm sure he'll notice at the proper time."

_Pyrrha, the proper time will be after he's been knocked into a coma by an Ursa if you keep being hesitant about this._

"Pyrrha. Sometimes you need to do things yourself. _**Before**_ the one you care for the most gets hurt just when you find out their true feelings." I bite the inside of my cheek, recalling the feeling of tears running down my cheeks in worry for Ruby after Yang's misinterpretation of the awkward position Ruby and I were in turned into a wall-planting left hook to the leader of Team RWBY.

I shake myself out of the depressing memory. Since then I've been very happy and so certain about my feelings. I shouldn't reminisce in the bad when there's been so much good to outweigh it.

"If he's that dense I'll question him myself on it." I finally add. The look I get from Pyrrha to follow is skeptical and worrisome.

"I'd prefer not." She answers.

"Well neither of you are making a move. It's a boring chess match to say the least." My metaphor takes a moment to be registered.

"I guess I can follow your sister's plot."

"That's the spirit. Come on."

I begin to walk out of the room gesturing for Pyrrha to follow.

"Where are we going?"

"Winter told me to bring you to the garden. It's just a little boxed off area surrounded by a porous white fence. It's pretty basic." I explain while we walk down the long hallway. Since it is a little later in the evening, possibly coming around 10 O'clock if I had to guess, there's a dim lighting coming from the ceiling as opposed to the slightly brighter lights throughout the day.

We approach the same stairwell that I've grown tired of going through for today and make our way down to the first floor. Upon exiting I turn left and look over my shoulder briefly to assure that Pyrrha is close by. The black carpet, white walls, dim lights and several images of the current Schnee family occupy my vision while I look ahead for section on the wall that is glass.

Within that area is also a glass doorway that allows anybody passing by to look out and admire the small garden area. It's a relaxing spot that I've escaped to many times to read, or simply escape how cramped I feel within my home. Regardless of how large a dwelling can be, there will always be this odd feeling I get that will continue to eat away at me until I manage to escape outside for fresh air.

"It's just out here." I gesture outside of the glass door.

The door itself has a shiny, grey, metal frame with a vertical door handle. The type of door handles that are used at the entrance of a fancy hotel. The door handle of course matches the color of the frame. I pull the handle with enough strength to pull the door open fully. While I walk outside I place my palm to the glass of the door to hold it open long enough for Pyrrha to grab the handle and follow.

The sweet sounds of crickets and other small insects and forest animals begin filling my ears. The calming melody of nature is always welcome to me. It's the sweetest of sounds to break the awkwardness and ear ringing that silence relaxing, endless melody of Remnant's more peaceful creatures is a pleasant reminder that there are still things to appreciate in this world. That I can find somewhere that will not focus on the troubles of the Grimm or my grandfather's company that's been altered from what it truly was.

I change my attention from the sounds of nature to the small gazebo ahead of me and the marbled path of round stepping stones. Underneath the familiar white archway I can see the gazebo and the two people inside. One of them is Winter, and the other I can just barely notice as Jaune.

As expected he appears to be somewhat terrified. I'm curious what Winter told him that could have the blonde swordsman in posture that reveals him being weaker than I thought he was. He's currently seated on a bench in the gazebo while Winter is standing next to him with her right hand gripping his neck in what appears to be a very painful grip on a pressure point. Both of his hands are in his lap and his neck is hidden between his shoulders, but that is most likely from him trying to avoid his neck from being pinched any harder.

_And this is why I wonder why Pyrrha is into him, sometimes._

"There they are!" Winter smiles upon seeing me and Pyrrha enter the boxed off area to the gazebo. "He's just as dense as you said, Weiss."

"Winter, what did you do to him?" I fold my arms.

My question is left hanging in the air for an answer. Winter instead lets go of Jaune's neck and walks out of the gazebo. She passes by myself and I turn to follow her. When I turn around to follow I see Winter give a gentle palm to Pyrrha's back to push her towards the gazebo and the scared swordsman inside.

"That's a private matter, Sister. However, if things don't go well . . . I may need to take him for myself. He's dense, but a gentleman." I shake my head and hold back a laugh while I follow out of the archway. Winter still has her moments of humor that can bring a smile to my lips.

The two of us walk back into the house and turn left until we are clear from sight of the gazebo. Winter turns around and pulls out a small box from her pocket with a smile on her face. The smile that lets me know she has some sort of plan.

"I need you to put a decent chunk of aura in here." She practically commands.

"What is that?" I hold my hand out for her to place the box in my hand. When she does I flip it around in my palm and analyze it. It's a black box made from some sort of reinforced metal. I can see a small opening on the top in the form of a small hole that is barely noticeable. Aside from the weight of the small palm-sized box, there isn't anything special about it, although I do feel like there are moving contents inside.

"It's a device we've been developing. It's meant to extract the effects of dust to be used and maintained. It's somewhat like a generator, except it uses dust instead of electricity." Winter explains.

"So why do you need my aura?" I ask

"I want you to put a glyph above the gazebo and in front of the archway. Since your semblance works with dust and there's blue dust in that box . . .it should act as a generator for your semblance. At least that's what I hope it'll do. I don't want those two leaving that gazebo anytime soon." Winter explains and takes the box from me again.

I nod my head, understanding her idea and her want to experiment with a new toy made by the SDC. I place the box back in her hand and place my right hand on top of it to start exerting my aura. While I do so I take a few steps backwards with Winter following so I can see the gazebo through the nearby glass. I notice that Jaune and Pyrrha are already starting to leave and quickly raise my left hand to place a glyph in front of the archway, causing Jaune and Pyrrha to jump back in surprise but not notice me.

_That was a little close._

I then activate a second glyph to form over the gazebo, catching Jaune by surprise right as he is trying to vault over. With both of my glyphs formed I focus more on channeling my aura into the device until Winter starts to pull it away, satisfied with the amount of aura I gave.

"This'll do it . . . now I just need to-" Winter presses a button on the box that I didn't notice. Almost immediately it starts to glow a light-blue, corresponding with the dust inside and a very dim light channels from the box to my glyphs in a projector-like light connection, marking its link to my glyph.

"Okay . . . stop using your semblance." Winter commands while she looks outside with growing curiosity. I do just as asked and lower my left hand, surprised to see my glyphs are still up thanks to the strange device.

Winter places the device on the floor and smiles with a sense of accomplishment. I have to hand it to her, it was a great idea and proved to work wonders.

"Alright, Weiss." The way she calls my name is somewhat accusatory. I immediately turn my head away from the gazebo to look at her. "Your friend is staying in the room with the pink-streak boy. I'm going to leave her alone, but I want you to tell me the truth."

I wince, realizing that Winter never truly forgot about Ruby and allowed the subject to be dropped.

"What question?" I ask, hoping it's not the one I'm certain it is.

"Weiss . . . how close are we?" Winter folds her arms, unamused at my game of avoidance.

"The closest." I answer flatly and lower my head. I tell Winter everything for the most part, but this is something I'm worried she won't accept. My bigger worry at the time was her questioning Ruby and taking the chance to interrogate my silver-eyed Dolt. With Winter promising that she won't interrogate Ruby I feel a little more at ease with myself and the situation.

"Then answer me."

"We are."

"So the magazine wasn't lying?" Winter asks. I can tell she is upset, but she hasn't scolded me like I was expecting.

"It's still gossip. I've never kissed her in public or held her hand with prying eyes and so on. We're not hiding anything . . . I just don't want the media bringing her into the light." I explain.

"Just don't do anything stupid, Weiss. You're an heiress. Whether you like it or not you are the one to take over the company. What you do behind closed doors is nobody's business, but in this world people will look for anything to take you down." Winter's tone switches more to concern, but the loud, stressful sigh at the end of her sentence makes me wonder what she's going to say to follow. "You're not dating a girl just to spite father, are you?"

"This isn't out of spite. It's . . . it's genuine." I look down, flinching at the audible exhale that follows my response.

"I see. I change my mind; I want to go talk to her now." Winter turns around and starts to walk away. Her response to my confession of genuine love towards a girl makes me follow her with clear haste.

"W-Winter! Leave her alone! You promised!" I plead, but Winter continues to walk without a word.

When she gets to the nearest intersection she turns left to travel to the other wing of the house. Within the perpendicular hallway she stops halfway and looks to the right to trigger the elevator we have in the mansion. I've always believed it to be a lazy method of traveling and always preferred the stairs. Winter's desire to take the elevator puts me at slight ease. The fact that I'll have time to talk to her in the elevator without getting short of breath as opposed to trying to talk to her while climbing stairs is very reassuring.

"I'm not going to give her a super questioning, Weiss. You need to trust in your older sister." There's a small chime that indicates the elevator is here, and the door opens shortly after. Winter walks in first and I follow. Inside the elevator is red carpet, wooden walls, and several dim ceiling lights that give the elevator a mild romantic effect to go with the sweet jazz that is stereotypical of an elevator.

"Then why do you want to question her? Just leave her be, she'll have enough to deal with when Father finds out." I debate.

"Weiss, am I the only one that knows?" Winter looks at me out the corner of her eye before she presses the button for the fourth floor.

"No, our entire team knows as well as her father and uncle." I explain.

"Well I'm sure they spoke to you about dating their daughter/niece, right? I'm only doing what a sister would do. I'm not going to scare her." Winter raises her right hand to place it on my head. The smile on her face is completely genuine and makes me smile. Winter's the only person whose word I'm willing to take. She's the most honest person within my family, and the one person to never break her promises with me.

"Alright . . . but promise me you won't scare her?" I question one final time.

"I promise, Weiss. Now, while I go see her I want you to go say hi to Father. He's in his study." The elevator comes to a stop on the fourth floor. When the door opens, Winter steps out and reaches inside to press the button for the fifth floor for me to go see Father. As nervous as I am to leave Ruby alone with Winter, I do trust my sister more than anyone else and think that if want to let anyone talk to her, then it'll be the person I trust the most.

I look on as the elevator door closes. Winter decides to stand in front of the elevator, smiling at me the entire time the two doors close until I can no longer see her and it begins to rise one more flight.

_Well . . . things could've ended worse with Winter . . . I don't know_

When the elevator door opens I walk straight ahead through a pair of large, completely wooden doors with beautiful bronze door handles. The room I just entered is my Father's workstudy. Along the edges of the room are several bookcases. Most contain information pertaining to legal actions as well as the SDC, but there are several that have proven to be very good reads to me. Most of the recommendations coming from my sister who is an avid reader in her own right. It's not often that I find Winter reading a book, but her recommendations for books to read are still on a list that I have not begun tending to which shames me badly.

Ahead of me on the opposite side of the room is a fireplace made of stones. It's easy for me to hear the sounds of the crackling fire and see the dancing rays of light that illuminates the walls and bookcases all over the room. It's a very boring room with black carpet and shellacked, wooden walls. Near the fireplace are two large chairs with wooden frames and black cushions. It's not until I look at the two chairs and the round table in between them that has two cups on it that I notice there are two people near the fireplace. Both chairs are facing towards the fireplace, only allowing me to see one arm of each person.

On the right chair I notice a tailored white sleeve that has to be from one of the best dress shops around. That is without a doubt my father. The other person doesn't have any distinct features on the arm. As a matter of fact, their arm is completely bare, making it impossible for me to find out who it is, at least until the conversation between the two of them continues, causing me to realize that my presence hasn't been noticed yet.

"I highly doubt that my daughter would indulge in such . . . abhorrent acts, Taiyang." I cringe at Father's tone and stand quietly near the entrance.

"You're quite the homophobe, Will. Jus-"

"I implore you to stop butchering my name, Taiyang. It's Wilheim."

"You never change, do you? I'm trying to break good news to you. Your daughter's with someone who's not after her money, or your money. Isn't that a wonderful thing?" Ruby's dad debates.

"There are plenty of MEN that are interested in my daughter and not her wealth. She'll meet the right one when the proper time approaches." My father counters.

"There isn't going to be a proper time. She's already off the market. Will, stop being thick-skulled for one moment and consider the fact that your daughter may be happy. When was the last time she smiled around you? I'm curious to know if she's even capable of smiling with the way you act sometimes." There's a loud huff from Ruby's dad. I've never heard anybody speak to my father so blatant and rude, yet not have the conversation escalate to a screaming match.

"If you're so certain that _my_ daughter is in such a heinous relationship, please inform me on how you know." My father's hand reaches for the nearby cup that disappears from view by being obscured by the chair.

"How about I just let her tell you?" Ruby's dad asks and peeks from the right side of his chair towards me. "Hey, Weiss. I was just telling your father about your adorable new girlfriend."

"My daughter is NOT some creature of poor judgement. She'll be finding a MALE companion and continuing the Schnee name." I wince at my father's raise in tone and slowly start to walk towards the two of them, favoring moving more towards the left so I can stand with Ruby's father between my father and I.

Mr. Xiao Long is wearing a pair of black pants with a white t-shirt with a golden-brown t-shirt on top of it. The white undershirt he wears is only noticeable near his collarbone where the white is just barely seeable.

"Fine, fine. Don't believe me, then. I'm just saying that we're going to be brothers-in-law." Her father continues to speak so calmly, even sporting a smile while he practically gloats that I'm dating Ruby.

"For the FINAL time, Taiyang. My daughter . . . is . . . NOT-"

". . . Mr. Xiao Long is telling the truth, Father." I practically blurt out with a shiver shooting up my spine.

For the first time today I look past Ruby's father to look at mine. The white, tailored suit he wears contains no wrinkles and is by all means a perfect fit. My father has a very slender figure and matches height with Mr. Xiao Long very easily. He firm definition in his jawline, short black hair, and blue eyes that pale in comparison to Winter's and my own, but the piercing stare he gives me upon my confirmation of Mr. Xiao Long's constant attempts at getting across that I am into a woman is nothing less than paralyzing.

"I'm sorry . . . I think I heard that wrong." My father stares at me, clenching the glass he picked up earlier in a tighter grip until eventually it breaks and shatters in his hand. The light explosion makes me jump, but Mr. Xiao Long places a hand on my arm to offer his support and reassurance.

"I'm . . . dating . . . Mr. Xiao Long's daughter." I say with nervousness in my voice.

I switch my gaze towards Ruby's father who gives me a nod and a reassuring grin. With a nod of my head I take a deep breath and repeat myself with much more pride.

"The heiress of the Schnee Dust Company . . . your daughter . . . is dating Ruby Rose."

"Like I said . . . I heard that wrong." Father looks right at me and slowly plants his hands on the front of his chair , shifting his weight until he is able to move onto his feet.

"Will . . . I suggest you sit down." Mr. Xiao Long doesn't move from his seat, but instead turns his head slowly to give my father a look out the corner of his eye.

"You stay out of this. This is a family matter." My father growls, shifting stares from Ruby's father and myself.

"You don't get it, do you? As far as I'm concerned, she's a Rose, a Xiao Long, a Branwen and a Schnee . . . and I will NOT tolerate a hand being placed on ANY woman. Especially my daughter's significant other." Mr. Xiao Long slowly rises to his feet as well. I take notice of him flexing his fingers, causing several cracking sounds to radiate in my ears. Those strong sounds remind me of Yang just before she is about to start a fight.

"Are you . . . threatening me?" Father's stare sharpens on Mr. Xiao Long.

"In a nutshell . . . yes. Now . . . care to step outside? Or do I need to burn this entire mansion to the ground for you to get my message?" I start to back away from the two slowly. I can practically sense the lightning bouncing between their eyes, along with a slight warmth that fills the room. However, instead of it being the insane heat that Yang is known for, it's a controlled warmth that has no form of breeze or uneven heat wave to it. It's nearly impossible to find out where it's originating from.

"My daughter . . . will not be dating a disgusting . . . degrading . . . wretched . . . filthy . . . carpetmunching WHOR-"

Just before my father is able to complete his sentence, a third voice cuts in, causing the three of us to look towards the doorway to see Ruby's uncle standing there with squinted eyes and look that is less than pleased.

"You DON'T want to finish that sentence, Will. Look at it this way: My NIECE is dating your daughter. I would love to see you call in your new batch of Atlesians . . . I haven't had a good workout in ages." Mr. Qrow walks towards the three of us, but never breaks his eyes off of my father. "Now . . . I'm sure we can all reach a peaceful agreement on all of this, RIGHT?"

Just like he did when he and I first spoke one on one, Mr. Qrow focuses his aura to the point that there's small sparks of lightning bouncing around his form, but he only draws in this aura for a brief enough time to allow a few quick sparks to fly.

"If that's how you want to play it. I'll make a wager, and it is not to leave this room." My father smirks.

"Let's hear it, Will. You know I'm a gambling man." Mr. Qrow takes another step forward, grinning from cheek to cheek.

"Qrow you shouldn't run into a bet." Ruby's dad butts in, but he's instantly shut out.

"He's not winning a bet with me, Tai. You know how my luck is."

" . . . That's what I'm worried about."

"Added gambling onto your alcohol addiction have you, Qrow?" My father quips.

"Just like your shady business partners, Will." Mr. Qrow counters.

"You insolent little- Very well. Here are my terms:"


	23. All For One and Free-For-All

_First off, long AN so bare with me guys._

_Alright, so there's an author who's been reading my story since the very beginning, and even went on to make his own story that I took the time to read. His name is __**LawsonHawk**__. Anyway, his story is pretty good and he takes way more pride in his grammar and such than I do. So, if my fuck-ups annoy you, then his story will annoy you less, plus I enjoy his wording and writing style. Coming from someone who's as picky as I can be when it comes to stories is saying something xD._

_It would make me really happy if you guys can show him some support. The content may surprise you much more than you'd expect._

_The story is called __**RWBY: If You Fall I'll Pick You Up**_

_I don't go advertising a story in every chapter, and that's because I know a lot of you respect my content, and hopefully respect me as an author and person, so naturally I wouldn't want to misdirect you to something you would not enjoy. I'm an asshole, but I'm not a jerk :P_

_That's one thing down . . . on to the next._

_Okay, so I had this chapter __**70%**_ _done __**before**_ _the weekend even began. I should've had it up on Saturday, and that's my fault entirely._

_I had a little bit of an upsetting when I __**FINALLY**_ _got the commission for my OC that I paid for upfront, and well . . . after an entire month of waiting I sort of had high expectations, or at least higher expectations than what I initially had. So, I have the first image of Shun ever, but I'm not at all proud of it. If anything it's more of a brief sketch/reference for another artist to do._

_So for now I'm kind of depressed at the fact that I had $25 - $30 go down the drain and need to save up even more to find someone better to do the job._

_If any of you guys know an artist that is good with RWBY-style drawings it'll be awesome to get a message with their name and whatnot. So far I see one that charges with a base price of $45 . . . tough pricing, but it may need to be done._

_So, I'll probably be trying to see if I can get that taken care of. Aside from that I guess everything else is good to go. Sorry for the mild rant, guys. I rarely get legitimately pissed at things, but this situation took me so far off my game._

_Also, there's a riddle/code-talk at the end of this chapter. I'm very curious to see if anyone can answer me correctly on what all four answers could be. I don't think it's that difficult._

_Anyway, for those of you that actually read all of this, thanks. Here's Chapter 23!_

* * *

_**Chapter 23 - All For One and Free-For-All**_

"Come on, Kittycat. I'm starving over here!" I stand in the hallway while holding the door to our room open. Blake's just finished getting her shoes on and starts to follow out. I'm so glad that yellow shirt of mine fits her. It looks great on her and really brings out those eyes. Not to mention the fact that my emblem is sitting right above her left breast. Nothing beats marking my Kittycat.

"You're hyper today." Blake smiles and walks out of the room. As she passes by me she raises her left hand to graze her fingers over my cheek and jawline before she gets out of arm's distance to walk down the hall, leaving me to close the door and enter a small jog to catch up.

"Just trying to get my enthusiasm on. I get the feeling I'll need eeevery ounce of positive energy in my body." I grin, catching up to Blake on her left side so I can drape my right arm over her shoulder.

"I still say you're a little too happy right now." Blake leans her head to the left to lay her head on my shoulder.

"I mean, I got to cuddle with my Kittycat all night. We're at this fancy-shmancy mansion and free food is coming up. What's not to be happy about?" I explain. Blake's only response is a slight snicker and a shake of her head.

"You and your food-love, Yang." Blake lifts her head off of my shoulder so she can drop it back on my shoulder with a light impact.

"What? The way to anybody's heart should be through taste!" I defend.

"Well, I'm only a decent cook, does that mean I only have a decent path to your heart?" Blake moves upright while we continue to go down the hall. After her comment she gives me a glance out the corner of her eye with a playful smile that lets me know she's kidding around.

"Well, if I was only grading you on cooking, then I suppose so." I answer, making Blake frown just a bit.

"Well if the way to your heart is through food, then how would you know how good I cook? I've never cooked for you." Blake objects, but it only draws her right into my word trap.

"Actually, I said the way to anybodies heart should be through taste." I move my arm from her shoulder to her waist and pull her tightly towards me so I can lean over and whisper into her ear. "And my Kittycat has the greatest taste in the world."

A smirk crosses my lips while I look over Blake's cheek to see the pink texture take over her complexion. To add to it she turns her head away and gently shimmies out of my grip to build a very small amount of space between us.

"Aw~ someone's bashful." I skip in front of her and start to walk backwards, trying to get a clear look at her face, but she keeps her head low to avoid feeding my eyes.

"Yang . . . that's very inappropriate." Blake finally whispers, just as we reach the 3-way intersection and turn down the hall to go to the next wing so we can meet up with JNPR.

"Oh, come on! You sound like Weiss now. There's nothing wrong with me being a little flirty with my pretty Kitty, is there?" I stop walking to let Blake catch up to me. When she's close enough I step off to the side and turn around to place my arm around her waist to walk side by side with her again. Thankfully she doesn't attempt to shimmy out of my grip like she did earlier.

"It isn't . . . but . . . I don't want people to hear things like that." Blake looks at me with her sweetened gaze, still filled with bashfulness and ten times as cute as it can be.

"I'll tone it down." I lean over and press my lips to her temple before looking towards the end of the hall. Subconsciously, I lower my arm off of Blake's waist and instead grab her hand, interlacing our fingers together while we walk.

"Thanks, Yang . . . I'm just . . . not as confident as you are with-"

"No need to explain. It makes you uncomfy. That's all the explanation I need to tone it down. At least while we're in earshot of people." I grin.

Blake has another thing coming if she thinks I won't get my flirts in. I'll just have to make sure I'm twice as flirty when we're alone to make up for the lost time. After all, Blake made it clear she doesn't want me to stop being me. So, pushing barriers here and there as well as getting a little more lewd with my flirtations is something she'll have to brace herself for. I wonder how hard I'll have to try to get her to stumble on her own words.

"Wait, why are we going this way?" Blake finally asks me. I figured she would've questioned me a lot earlier. Most likely when I turned to go down the hall instead of to the stairwell.

"I want to see if JNPR's already up. Also, I want to make sure I didn't break Jaune or anything when I sent him flying." I was getting so irritated at the fact that he was blocking my attacks that I ended up pushing myself harder and harder out of stubbornness and pride. The last thing I will ever accept is to have someone like Jaune outclass me in combat.

"He's fine. He got up a lot earlier than I expected to be honest. Wait, which of these rooms are JNPR's?" Blake questions me after we get to the end of the hallway.

"Umm . . . I asked Weiss about it. She said that when we get to this spot . . . turn right and it will be the first two doors on the left." I say out loud and do the directions while I speak. Just as Weiss said I look at the first two doors to my left after turning right and proceed to knock on the nearest one. "Hello~ Jaune, Nora, Pyrrha, Ren~ Don't make me break the door down~"

"They're probably downstairs already-"

"I got it!"

From beyond the door I can ear the hyperactive and giddy voice of Nora. It's a few seconds before the door is answered. Nora's the one to open the door, sporting her usual outfit and a bright smile on her face. When I look over her shoulder I can see that someone is sleeping on the bed with a pillow held over their head. As a matter of fact the only body part I can see are the arms reaching out from underneath the snowy blanket to hold the pillow in place.

"Sheesh, Nora. Let Ren get some sleep. You know how tired he always is." I shake my head and sympathize with him.

"What?" Nora looks over her shoulder to Ren and starts to giggle. "No, silly. That's not Ren! Ren's just finishing his shower. He should be out in just a second."

"Then who's that in your bed?" Blake steps forward to ask.

"Oh," Nora waves her hand at us while she scoffs, "That's just Ruby."

"Wait, why is my sister in a room with you two? What happened to Weiss?" I ask, recalling that the setup for us were me and Blake, Weiss and Ruby.

"Oh~ Well this lady came by and she was like . . . super tall with hair over half her face. She looked like an older more um . . . kind of emo Weiss and wanted to talk to Ruby. So~ to be nice I left the room and saw Ren napping in the hallway. He's always a sleepyhead. When both of them finished I came into the room, Ruby seemed super tired and stressed and relieved so she fell asleep in the bed along with Ren." Nora yammers on, explaining what happened within the room last night. "Anyway~ Ren woke up and said it's super inappropriate for him to be in the same bed as Weiss' girlfriend and took some sheets and two pillows to sleep on the floor so me and Ruby could share the bed."

_Thank you, Ren. I still get annoyed at seeing those two in the same bed at Beacon._

"Still doesn't make sense. Did Weiss come by and see Ruby asleep here?" Blake asks.

"Giving Ice Queen a little too much credit, don'tcha think, Kittycat?" I turn to look at Blake who answers with an unamused stare.

"Yang, I think I know Weiss' feelings the best. She would've at least checked to know where her girlfriend is." Blake rolls her eyes.

"Mhm~ Weiss came by. Super late, though. She didn't want to wake Ruby up and asked if me and Ren would want another room since Ruby kind of stole the bed, but Ren didn't want to 'cause he said it would be rude to leave her there with no company. You know how Ren is." Nora smiles and ushers us into the room.

The two of us walk in while Nora stays near the door to close it. As expected their room is very similar to ours, but the fact that our door and some of the furniture contain an emblem specially designed to resemble mine and Blake's put together makes this room seem ten times duller to me.

"Nora? Did you leave?" A muffled voice calls out from the bathroom, confirming what Nora said about Ren taking a shower.

"No, Ren. Yang and Weiss are here, though." Nora calls back slightly.

With the way Nora's voice carries I can understand why Rubes has a pillow over her head. It must be terrible to deal with Nora in the morning. I guess that's part of the reason why Ren is always tired.

"What?" Ren calls out, but the way it's said makes it seem rhetorical. "Um . . . Could you put my shirt and pants in here then?" Ren calls out.

"You're fine, Ren. It's nothing I haven't seen before." I call back to tease.

My playful joke earns a shake of the head from Blake, but also a growing smile that shows her love and hate of my humor.

Nora hums to herself and picks up a small pile of neatly folded clothes that appear to belong to Ren. She walks to the bathroom door, carefully cracks the door just a bit so she can put the clothes inside, but not before taking a peep at her partner.

"Ooo~ Hi Ren~"

"NOORA!"

The loud, surprised and anger-filled yell from Ren makes Blake and I jump and even causes Ruby to lift her head from the bed to see what just happened.

"It's not like I haven't seen it before, Re-"

"Nora. This is not the time for that story!"

"But-"

"Nora . . . please."

The entire time I stand at the foot of the bed, trying my best not to laugh at their conversation while Nora still has her head in the doorway. While the two of them continue to talk I carefully walk to the bedside to uncover my sister and haul her over my shoulder. The response I get from her are in the form of several guttural groans and uninterpretable morning talk that makes me nostalgic of the times I would pick up Ruby from the living room couch to carry her up to her room.

"I know, Sis. Let's get you to Weiss' room so you can get dressed and all that junk." I smile the entire walk towards Weiss room. Ruby's light grunts when my shoulder grinds into her stomach force me to move with a little extra grace to avoid making her bounce so much. "So, why were you in Ren and Nora's room?"

"Because of Winter." Ruby groans.

"Sis, I'm sure every room in this house is the same temp." I shake my head, figuring her answer is because she is still attempting to wake up. When we get to Weiss room I knock on the door a few times with no answer.

"Hey, Blake. Mind waiting out here for us? I don't think Weiss'll be too keen on all of us in her room. If it's just me and Rubes I could say I was helping her wake up."

"Sure. Don't keep me waiting." Blake steps in front of me to open the door before she leans against the wall next to the door with her arms folded.

I nod my head and lean towards her to give a small smooch to her cheek before I step into Weiss' bedroom. When I step inside the first thing I notice is the gigantic, king-sized bed with so many different pillows. To the right is a dresser with so many different brushes, perfumes, and anything that has to do with cosmetics and makeup.

Across from the bed I see a large setup of stuffed animals. I find it very hard to believe that someone with Weiss' personality would collect stuffed animals. With Ruby still hauled over my shoulder I walk around the bed to get a better look at the massive collection. The first thing I notice is the middle platform of this 5-platform tree-like object has no teddybears on it, and instead there are several on the floor.

"Really Ice Queen? At least take care of 'em." I sigh and carefully lay my deadweight sister on the bed so I can lower down to a knee and put them all back on their shelf. When I'm done I start to stand up when my groggy sister starts to speak up clearly.

"Ugh . . . Ya~~~~ng. Sergeant Fluff goes against the wall, and Grouchers hates Sergeant Fluff. Do you want them to fight?" Ruby carefully moves herself off of the bed, and with drowsiness all over her face she starts to readjust the stuffed animals until she's satisfied with herself.

"I'm not even gonna ask. You awake enough to get your teeth brushed and out of that wrinkled outfit?" I fold my arms, looking down at Ruby who still has her eyes only half-open.

"Just five more minutes." Ruby pleads and flops back into Weiss' bed.

_This'll bring back memories._

I give a smirk and walk into Weiss' bathroom. As expected it's super spacious with white walls, a white tiled floor, light blue accessories such as drapes, curtains and carpet mats. I hone in on her sink and immediately turn on the cold water. I wait a few seconds to let the water get cold before dipping my right hand underneath, coating it in the cold liquid. With a grin plastered across my face I turn off the water and head out the bathroom. I'm not surprised to see Ruby is curled up on the bed, wrinkling her outfit even more than it already was. Without any more patience in my blood I use my left hand to roll Ruby over by grabbing her shoulder. When I can see her face I bring down my ice-watered hand down and assure her entire face is greeted by cold water.

"Yup~! Now you can complain about winter, Ruby." I grin, the little crimsoness flails and kicks when I assault her skin with the frosty assault.

"Ya~~~~ng! Ugh! Why can't you ever let me sleep!?" Ruby whines and starts to stand up.

"Because we need to get downstairs to eat. I'm starved and you wouldn't budge an inch in Ren's room."

"I had a long night. I met Weiss' sister." Ruby sighs.

"And? She didn't hurt you did she?" I bring my knuckles up to my chest and start cracking them "What's her name, Rubes? I'll go get Ember Celica."

"Ya~ng! She didn't hurt me . . . She's just . . . scary when she talks sometimes." Ruby explains, "Like . . . she doesn't talk loud, but she says things and I feel worried and take every syllable super seriously."

"Alright, tell me what happened while you start changing." I usher my sister to get her suitcase. She finds it in Weiss' closet and makes haste in placing it on the floor to open it up and find a similar outfit to replace her wrinkled red and black set.

"Well, she came by and started knocking on the door. I thought it was Ren- Oh, Ren went out to check on Jaune 'cause Winter came by and sort of abducted him. Anyway, I open the door and she stares at me. She has like . . . Weiss' stare, but it's way worse." Ruby begins to shimmy out of her outfit. She still hasn't found an outfit she wants to put on, but she's doing her best to keep moving. "So, she comes inside, practically kicking Nora out of the room so she can talk to me alone."

"And? What she wanna talk about?" I ask, seating myself on Weiss' bed.

"She was asking me how Weiss and I started going out. Then wanted to know the whole story and relationship she has with each of us. Asked me how she's doing in her classes, what my first impressions of Weiss were. The list goes on and on and on. It got to the point where I asked if I could get a cup of water." Ruby is just finishing taking off her shirt and combat skirt. She quickly folds them up and leaves them on the open flap of the suitcase while she rummages through for something to wear.

"That means she knows you two are dating, I guess. How'd the whole conversation go?"

"It was terrible. I kept stuttering and she kept getting annoyed because I was nervous and she kept saying that I shouldn't be nervous because she's not yelling, but her staring was the worst thing ever! If she stared at me any harder I think I may have a hole in my head." Ruby exaggerates. "I mean . . . she didn't yell at me or anything. She stayed seated on the bed with her arms folded. All she did was ask question after question until she was satisfied, and when she left I heard her mumble something but she wouldn't repeat it when I asked."

Finally Ruby finds herself an outfit she wants to wear. She settles for a short-sleeve, light gray shirt with a built in black piece of clothing over it that wraps around the torso of the shirt like a corset, and just like a corset it stops right before the breasts, but then it has an overalls mix to it in the form of straps that go over the shoulders of the top. For a skirt it's something very similar to the usual, except instead of red along the bottom of the skirt it's a gray color to match the shirt.

As usual she wears her stockings, combat boots, and clips on her scarf/hoodie combo to give it the Ruby Rose Stamp of Approval. When she's done we step outside where Blake is still leaning against the wall in the exact same position she was in when I first carried Ruby inside. Without any of us speaking a word we start to head towards the stairwell and make our way downstairs until something dawns on me.

"Wait . . . Ruby, you said Weiss' sister kidnapped Jaune?"

"I mean . . . not literally, but she pulled him away and it was the last time I saw him for the night." Ruby explains while we exit on the first floor.

I do my best to remember the way to the dining room, and from last time I remember walking across the lobby and walking down the other wing until a giant double door on the left came into view. I retrace my steps through memory, Ruby and Blake both following and not voicing any complaints which make me believe I am headed in the right direction. Thankfully it's not long before I spot the large double door that leads into the unnecessarily large dining hall.

To all of our surprise, team JNPR, Dad, Uncle Qrow, and Weiss are all there. Usually Uncle Qrow would make some sort of snarky remark about us taking our sweet time, or our Dad would say something similar but in a friendlier manner, yet everyone remains quiet. At least until Nora raises her voice.

"Hey Ruby, Yang, Blake!"

The seven of them are all seated at a long rectangular table, quietly eating their food. Team JNPR are all on the right side of the table. From near to far it's Jaune, Pyrrha, Ren, then Nora, along with two covered plates of food next to her.

On the left side of the table it's a covered tray, Uncle Qrow, Dad, Weiss, and another covered tray of food next to Weiss.

The three of us can sense the tension and decide to adapt to the mood for now. Blake and I go to sit next to Nora while Ruby goes next to Weiss. It looks like everyone was given the same dish, but with a personal twist to each person. What was supposed to be a basic omelet for me turns out to have a few spicy peppers and sausage inside while Blake's has mushrooms and I believe some sort of fish that draws her into the meal with haste. As for a side dish it's some fancy home fries with some sort of cooked onion pieces in it for flavor along with some sort of tomato sauce that makes my tastebuds almost hurt with the first bite thanks to the amazing flavor.

"So . . ." I start to speak, trying to break the awkward tension after having a few bites of my food. "How was everyone's night?"

"Tiring to say the least. Your Uncle did something dim-witted that I can't tell you about." Dad growls.

"Tai, it's not a big deal. You're the one who decided to stay up all night for training." Uncle Qrow snaps back.

"I had no choice, Qrow. I wanted to take my time with it. Now I had to rush the exercises." Dad responds before the two of them go back to silence.

"I see . . . Weiss?"

"Yang . . . I'm tired, my aura is killing me, and I am doing my very best to be sane." Weiss does her best to answer as politely as possible, but there's a hostility in her voice that can't be helped. It's severe enough that Ruby hasn't bothered to inch towards her girlfriend one bit and instead has been focused on her food the entire time.

"Hm . . . Jaune?"

"W-what? Oh . . . Well . . . I mean . . . it was a normal night." Jaune stutters. He's stuttering much more than usual which leads me to believe that he's definitely hiding something.

"Well, how did your 'normal' night go?" I ask, homing in on him with my curious stare.

However, before I can get an answer I see Pyrrha reach over and place her hand over Jaune's mouth with a smile on her face.

"Well, thanks to an odd event that took place . . ." Pyrrha begins to blush. The smile on her face becomes uncontrollable and her gaze drifts away from me to enter a mild daydream.

"Um . . . okay?" I ask, although I lower my voice to say it more to myself.

"Yang," Blake grabs me by the shoulder to pull me closer to her, "I think they hooked up."

"What? Like that would ever happen. Those two are just . . . I dunno, they're so unlikely to admit feelings." I whisper to Blake.

"Yang . . . Pyrrha's an open book. Pull her aside after breakfast and ask her why her and Jaune were sharing a room."

"How do you know they were sharing a room?"

"Didn't Ren and Nora share a room?" Blake gives me a blank stare as I realize that there is a huge possibility that Jaune and Pyrrha are actually a couple now. I always believed I would cut my hair before those two admitted their feelings to each other. "Now eat. Your food's getting cold."

I nod my head and make short work of finishing my food. Surprisingly I'm the first one done with Dad and Uncle Qrow being not so far behind. It's roughly ten minutes before everyone else finishes, and as expected there's an elephant in the room that is about to be released.

"Okay," Dad speaks up before he stands, "Ladies . . . and by that I mean Team RWBY, your little free-for-all has been moved up to today. As a matter of fact it'll begin in half an hour."

"Why the rush?" I ask. I was planning on taking today to explore Atlas a little more after the beyond-tiring day I had with Blake yesterday.

"Well, in all honest we wanted to include one other person, and while we have another four people here I thought it would be a little more convenient to move things up to extend the challenge to one of your friends." Dad explains.

"Ooo a four-gal free-for-all. Sounds fun!" Nora exclaims.

"Actually . . . it's five girls as of now. Not sure if you met her yet, but there's a Cheetah Faunus involved." Uncle Qrow jumps in, obviously talking about Shun. "Anyway, we want to know if anyone from your team will want to participate."

"Well, it depends if all of us have nothing planned. Pyrrha, Ren, Nora?" Jaune leans forward on the table to look at all of his teammates.

"I think it's a practical way to prepare for the tournament." Pyrrha speaks up with a smile.

"Can I do it? Please~? You two got to have fun yesterday!" Nora clenches her fists with overenthusiasm.

"Well . . . if Nora wants to try it, let's stay a bit longer." Ren answers, going with Nora's choices as usual.

"Looks like Nora's representing team JNPR." Jaune speaks up with a smile.

"Good. Could I have you three stay here a moment?" Dad questions while gesturing to Weiss, Nora, and Ren.

The rest of us head out of the dining room. Ruby decides to dart off to go upstairs to go get her precious Sweetheart. Normally I'd give Ember Celica a check as soon as possible, but there's something I want to take care of first.

"So . . . Jaune . . . Pyrrha." I start while the four of us walk down the hall. Jaune and Pyrrha are to my left and Blake is to my right. The moment I call both of their names they look at me instantly. "Mind telling us where you two were?"

"What do you mean? We were eating breakfast just like everybody else." Pyrrha answers.

"I think Yang wants to know why Nora and Ren were sharing a room . . . which leaves you two sharing the other." Blake jumps in. Her bluntness to the entire situation makes both Jaune and Pyrrha freeze in their tracks.

"Woah. Don't jump to conclusions here. We were in the same room, yeah but I slept on the floor." Jaune jumps in, completely misunderstanding where we were getting at.

"Chill out, Jaune. Pyrrha, who asked who?" I leave the question broad to make sure that I don't end up bringing everything to an awkward pause in case they still aren't together and Jaune is still unaware of Pyrrha's feelings.

"Well . . . nobody asked. We're still unsure of how to go about things." Pyrrha smiles and looks away. She has her chin touching her right shoulder and her right leg crossed in front of her left. It's a bashful stance I would never think Pyrrha to adopt. On top of that her cheeks are reddening while the smile on her face continues to grow.

_So they're caught between home plate and first base? How is that even possible!?_

"You two are kidding me." Blake speaks up about the situation. "Pyrrha, did you two talk about _anything_?"

"Well . . . It was an odd situation to say the least. Um . . . we didn't talk about anything specific."

_Yeah . . . those two were meant to flow like molasses._

"Well . . . congrats? I think." I ask more than say. I start to walk, Pyrrha and Blake ready to follow, but out the corner of my eye I notice Jaune stop Pyrrha from following. I start to turn around to see what's going on but Blake puts a hand on my back to make sure I keep facing forward.

I follow her lead and continue to walk all the way down the hall with her keeping her palm against my back. When we reach the three-way intersection I turn to enter the stairwell, taking the opportunity to look down the hallway towards Jaune and Pyrrha. I can only get a glimpse of what's going on before I am nudged into the stairwell, but I believe I saw Jaune holding Pyrrha's hand while they were facing each other. Considering how clueless and polite Jaune can be, it's practically his own step onto first base . . . even though it's only a step out of the batter's box in the dating Meta.

"You think they'll ever realize it?" I look over my shoulder to Blake while I climb the spiraling stairs.

"They're both patient people, Yang. They'll realize it eventually." Blake sighs, probably sharing my annoyance at how slow they move, despite them looking like one of the best couples I could think of.

"Well, I guess we need to get our weapons. What do you think my dad wanted the three of them for?" I ask.

"Probably so Weiss could explain how the free-for-all works. He probably noticed that Ren is Nora's leash and wanted him nearby." Blake concludes.

Her explanation is pretty concrete. It's something my dad would do, especially when a fireball like Nora's involved. The rest of our walk to the room is in silence. When we get there Blake goes into the closet to get both of our weapons. The two of us sit down at the round table in the room that Blake was using to read against and begin to do our standard maintenance on our weapons.

"Yang," Blake calls out my name randomly, "I don't want you holding back. If I see you I'll be doing what the situation calls for."

"I get it, Blake. Don't expect my knockout punch, though. I had enough trauma when I hit Rubes." I sigh.

"Don't worry about it. If I get knocked out then I'll just have to smother you with affection to make up for missed Yang Time." She jokes, making fun of how clingy I was when I woke up after the spar between me and Weiss.

"Hardy har har. You're a riot" I roll my eyes and go back to focusing on my Ember Celica.

There's no problems I can find with them. As a matter of fact the only problem I have is that I may not have enough shells on me to take out 5 people. I'll have to limit my shells in each confrontation, or tell myself how many shells I'm willing to spend on each opponent.

Logically I'll want shells to face Ruby. She'll snipe me down if I can't apply pressure from a distance. The next person I would need shells for is Weiss considering her glyphs are pretty dangerous from far away as well. Blake, Nora, and Shun are all close range fighters. Blake's Gambol Shroud doesn't have enough stopping power for me to be too worried, and Nora's grenade launcher is telegraphed easily.

If I had to say who is the most dangerous to me, then it's a tie between Weiss and Shun. I know Blake's movements pretty well, and while Nora's Magnhild beats my range in close quarters, I'm still confident that I can handle it. Ruby can be a threat to me, but that's only if she gets a chance to bunker down and stay somewhere I can't spot her. Ruby's skill as a sniper is terrifying to say the least.

_Okay . . . Do I want to take out the biggest threat early on? I can try to wait them out . . . let my semblance charge up . . . but I may not have enough ammo later on._

My internal debate continues, getting to the point where I space out in small flashes which delays me in finishing my maintenance for Ember Celica, bringing me to finish long after Blake.

"Ready?" Blake questions.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I respond.

The two of us get up from our seats and head out the door. Blake's Gambol Shroud is comfortably over her shoulder while my Ember Celica are in their passive form on my forearms. While we start to walk down the hallway we see my dad just getting out of the stairwell and looking our way instantly.

"Yang, you have forty five minutes."

"Huh? I thought you said half an hour." I comment when we get close enough to my dad.

"You're all being sent out with a delay between each departure. Shun left early in the morning. Weiss was sent out just now, you'll be next." Dad has a smile on his face, but it slowly changes to a frown. Before I can question him on his facial expression he starts speaking again. "Be careful out there. There's an obstacle being added that I don't know about. You can thank your uncle for that."

"Dad, what's going on with this? You, Uncle Qrow and Weiss all looked like you've been through hell and back. Lay the details on my already." I fold my arms, giving my dad the look that tells him I'm not going to be satisfied without answers.

"Your uncle made a bet with Weiss' father. The bet came with conditions made by each of them. Don't worry about the bet . . . Qrow just wanted some extra cash in his pocket. You know how he is." My dad reassures me.

"Wait, so what are the conditions?" I raise an eyebrow at my dad.

"Well, Qrow wanted to choose the order that everyone enters, on top of getting an extra person in. Will . . . well . . . his conditions are still unclear. He wants to add his own obstacle at his convenience, so be careful out there." Dad reaches out and places a hand on the top of my head with his brightest smile.

"So what's the order?" Blake asks.

"Shun, Weiss, Yang, Ruby, you then Nora"

_Why would Uncle Qrow have me and Blake go in back to back but not Ruby and Weiss?_

"Well, guess I'll need to manage my ammo just a bit." I sigh.

"You'll do fine. Go downstairs and find the gazebo in the back. Weiss' sister will be there with a small memory stick to download a coordinate to your scroll. That's the first place you head." Dad explains to the two of us. "Also . . . watch out for Shun . . . I saw her take off her anklets and another that was around her waist. I think all of Qrow's gadgets are off of her."

_So . . . the next time I see her it'll be when she's back at full speed. I guess I'll see which one of us improved the most._

"You heard your dad, Yang. Start getting ready." Blake gives me a small palm to the back to make me take a step towards the stairwell. I peek over my shoulder and give her a nod before I start to work my way downstairs and towards the back of the mansion where I see a tall woman with white hair in a somewhat gothic style leaning against a wall with her arms folded, radiating impatience.

"Yang Xiao Long, I'm guessing?" She keeps her arms folded and looks at me out the corner of her eye.

"Uh . . . yeah" I answer with a confident grin. "So you're Weiss' sister?"

"Go sit in the gazebo. A buzzer will go off when it's your time to take off." She explains to me and completely disregards my question.

"Wait, you're Weiss' older sister, right?" I ask again.

"Does that matter?" She raises an accusing glare at me, making my attempt at small talk feel unwanted and heavily undesired.

"I mean . . . it doesn't, but-"

"Then why waste words?"

"Just trying to make conversation . . . I'm an older sister too. My sis is actually here at the mansion. Her name's Ruby."

The moment I say Ruby's name her eyes sharpen on me, almost piercing my head with thousands of visually thrown daggers.

"Ruby . . . _**Rose**_ is your sister?" I'm questioned with noted skepticism.

"Yeah. We're half-sisters" I explain, but before I can go on to explain that we have different mothers, a hand is raised to stop me from continuing.

"Your family tree isn't my business. I've already met your sister. She's . . . an odd match for Weiss. Very hyper, easily intimidated, and her ability to talk at high speed is phenomenal." She shakes her head as she explains some of Ruby's more obvious traits. "Winter, by the way."

_About time she said her name. No wonder Ruby was so nervous . . . this chick is too . . . chill? Or maybe uptight?_

"Cool. Anyway, what's going on with the whole thing?" I question.

"I'm just giving instructions. I try to stay out of my father's games. Just wait in the gazebo and you'll be instructed on where to go before you're free to wander the backyard at your leisure."

Before I can ask any more questions I'm practically shoo'd away by Weiss' sister and sent out the glass double door to cross the stone path and sit quietly in the shade of the gazebo.

I sit quietly, finding the quickest way to pass the time is to give my Ember Celica another quick check to assure everything is perfectly fine with my babies. I decide to make this check just a little more thorough than my earlier maintenance, but I don't find anything to fix or adjust on them. However, my extra search is just enough to kill the half hour. Just as I am putting them back on my forearms I hear a few chimes go off within the gazebo from an unknown source and I take that as my signal to take off.

I stand up and walk out of the gazebo and the squared off garden to get back onto the stone path. From there I can see Winter looking at me from the glass window and gestures for me to turn right.

I follow her direction and turn to see a beyond shocking sight that makes me recall Weiss saying that her family owns over 400 acres of land. From where I am standing I see an endless forest with a few landmarks barely noticeable from the treelines. One of the more distinct landmarks are two tall towers that are a large distance apart, and practically in opposite directions from where I am standing.

_Where the hell do I go from here?_

I take a few steps forward, prepared to get lost in the giant forest that begins to remind me of initiation day in Beacon. Although there's a distinct lack of landing strategy being used.

"You'll want this." A familiar, smooth, and somewhat devilish voice calls out to me.

I quickly look over my shoulder to see Sebastian holding out a small device of some sort that looks like a compact version of my scroll. I carefully take it from him and touch the blank screen with my thumb to see the device light up and begin to ping with a preset destination.

"What's this for?" I ask, changing my case between Sebastian and the GPS.

"That location is where your supplies are stashed. It's also where you'll have your flares to mark the location of anyone you defeat. The first thing you need to do before any engagement is get to that location. Afterwards you are a participant." He explains to me.

I give a nod of my head and without any more delays I start to walk into the forest, holding the device in view so I can refer to it every few minutes to track how far I am from my supplies. After five minutes of walking I realize that my destination is nowhere nearby. In fact it looks like it's near the very edge of the property, making it a long, tedious walk for me.

While I walk I start to think more about who I should go after first, or who I should go after last. The names that keep popping up in my head as the biggest threats are Shun, Weiss, and Ruby. A close-range specialist, a tactician with home-field advantage, and a Sure-Shot sniper with little chance of missing a target.

One of them has to be the bigger threat to me, but at the same time one of them has to be the biggest threat to the others as well. I need to take out the biggest threat to me and leave the other two to hopefully grind down the rest and nudge the competition in my favor.

After what seems like two hours of walking I check the device again to see that I've made significant progress towards my goal. In fact it appears that it's finally within sight distance. Throughout my entire walk I've been staring at grass and tree roots while I try to think strategically about the entire situation.

Now that I get the chance to look up I realize that the area I was sent to is one of the tall towers I saw shortly before I entered the forest of a backyard. With my target within eyesight I place the device back into my pocket and enter a jog to hurry my way towards the tower.

To me it looks like something fresh out of the Rapunzel fairytale. It's a tall tower made of dark stone. While I gaze up I can see several hollow windows with wooden coverings from the inside. It's one of those old-school setups that use wood instead of glass windows like the modern day housings.

At the base of the tower is a large metal door that appears to be wide open. Another glance at the device that Sebastian gave me and I see that with my destination so near the display changes to come ground level with me to display the tower form a ground perspective. Within the image of the tower is a blinking dot that is near the top, leaving me to assume that I need to go to the top of the tower.

_Great . . . I spend a night in a comfy mansion with an amazing room, warm bed, and a great cuddle buddy. Now I've downgraded to a creepy tower fresh out of a storybook._

I'm still a ways from the tower. As a matter of fact I am just reaching the last of the trees and notice that the tower is sitting in the center of a grassland. From the tower to any tree along the edge of the formed circle is possibly one-hundred meters or more.

"Finally."

I take a deep breath and step out of the forest to walk towards the tower. After being hidden by leaves and branches it feels a little odd to be out in the open. When I reach the entrance to the structure I take the time to peek through the door, noticing there is a fireplace and a red, circular carpet in the middle of the room.

The color of the walls form the inside are the same as the outside. The stone texture doesn't change in the slightest from one side or the other. I take the liberty of stepping inside, also looking for a staircase of some kind to make my way upstairs. It's then that I notice that there is a path behind the fireplace. Sure enough when I walk behind the fireplace I start to find a long staircase that seems to spiral its way up to the top of the building. Every thirty steps or so I come across a door to my left. Within each room is miniscule furniture, but each room differs slightly from the previous.

Although what I see the same in each room is a single, closed window that irks me each time I notice. In the fifth room I come across I see a large, black duffle bag sitting in the middle of the floor.

"There better be some good stuff in here."

I walk over and open the duffle bag. The first thing I notice is a note sitting inside that I quickly take out and read to myself.

_Yang Xiao Long,_

_This will be your 'HQ' during the duration of the Free-For-All. This establishment is untargetable by your fellow contender, and is a non-hostile zone._

_With the device in your possession it is possible to make calls for ammunition for your weapon. However, these deliveries will be done via airdrop and will arrive roughly an hour after request. These drops are not protected and can be taken by the other competitors, so make your requests strategic._

_You are limited to two delivers per day._

_Please understand that this counts from 00:00 – 23:59, meaning that at midnight your requests will reset, making it possible to stockpile multiple delivers overnight should that be a viable strategy._

_We look forward to your success._

_-SDC_

Directly below the abbreviation is the Schnee crest in black ink

"What kind of cheesy crap is this? Sounds like some idiot behind a desk typed this up." I shake my head and toss the letter over my shoulder to look at the next item in the duffle bag. Surprisingly there's a large, metal box that I quickly pull out and open up. Inside is a shocking surprise of a few bandoliers of shotgun shells for my Ember Celica.

"Heh . . . awesome."

I place the metal box behind me and continue searching the duffle bag for anything else that could be of use. The only other item I find is another piece of paper with four very abstract phrases on it. Almost like four different, yet intertwined riddles

_Three pigs, a red hood, a full moon._

_Know what I am before noon._

_Ebony and ivory._

_Harmony, yet no tranquility_

_A glistening tusk_

_Know what I am before dusk_

_Three of me, different tastes_

_All of us the same race_

_Enter my home with your golden lock_

_Know what I am, there's a ticking clock_

_Worry about us and we're drawn_

_Know what we are before dawn_

"What kind of Mad Hatter phrases are these?" I shake my head and toss the second note away.

As of now I am not part of the competition. I need to start searching and find out who I want to go after first . . . and fast.


	24. An Endless Rematch

**_Welp. Here's chapter 24. Sorry to a good portion of you, but it's in a POV I'm certain is not too favorited, but I wanted to have a little bit of fun and expose an answer to a question that people have been very wary and worried about: What the FUCK is Shun's 4th stage in terms of her semblance?_**

**_Well, this is a Shun chapter and she finally gets permission to use her semblance. I'll be very surprised if someone says her semblance is overpowered after this chapter._**

* * *

_**Chapter 24 – An Endless Rematch**_

"Hello? This thing working?" I sigh and tap the small device in my ear, unsure if it is functioning properly since I'm not getting much in the way of a response.

"It's working. Why're you checking in already?"

"Well, I already got to my safehouse . . . or whatever it's supposed to be. I found this weird, cryptic crap that I wanted you to hear. Maybe you'll understand it. Here it is:"

I read the odd message and pause afterwards to let him digest what I just said. It's roughly two minutes before I'm finally given some sort of response.

"Shun . . . Take care of everything you need to before dawn tomorrow. You have roughly 21 hours to make your move."

"21 hours? I can't take out five people in 21 hours, Mr. Qrow." I growl. For the most part he makes requests that are very doable for me, but to deal with the Schnee girl in her home field on top of Sunflower and Belladonna isn't going to assist the matter. Not to mention there's someone getting added to the fray that I don't know about.

"I don't expect you to take everyone out, but at dawn you're not to wander. Stay in your base, am I clear?"

"What the hell did that message mean to you? If it's that dangerous then I'll outrun it like I always do." I debate, looking down at the paper and rereading the message to myself, trying to understand it.

"Shun, that's an order. You're not to make any form of offense tomorrow. Push yourself while you are capable. The next person was just sent out. Do what you plan on doing before everyone's set."

". . . Yes, Sir."

I take a deep breath and press the button to the device in my ear. As of now there's one other person out here with me. I left and entered the area early in the morning to avoid being in the same building as the Schnees. The last thing I need is to blow a gasket and have Mr. Qrow ready to pull my ear off for not holding my temper.

Because of my early departure I've already made it to my safe area. It's a tall, fairytale-like tower. From the window in the highest room I can see another tower off in the distance just like it. If I had to guess, I would say that other tower is definitely a safe zone for somebody else.

"Wouldn't hurt to go see who's gonna be my safe zone twin." I grin.

I turn away from the window and look around the empty, circular stone room. In the middle of the room is a round, crimson carpet that has a large duffle bag sitting in the middle. I walk over and drop the paper in my hand that has the odd message on it, into the bag before I walk out of the room and make my way downstairs.

"Three pigs, a red hood, a full moon. What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I sigh, uttering the phrase over and over again during my entire descent and exit from the tower.

"Alright . . . that tower is roughly East of here . . . that means-" I don't bother to finish my sentence and instead look towards where the sun currently is and use it to determine which way is East.

As usual I'm wearing a tight orange tanktop with a black sports bra underneath. To cover my waist, rear, and my legs down to my knees are a pair of black shorts with orange lining at the bottom.

On my forearms are a pair of silver armbands that hug just shy of my elbows. For footwear I have a pair of shoes that hug my legs from the knee down with several constricting straps embracing my calves. The straps are altering colors of black and orange. The buckles that I use to tighten and secure the straps are a silver color to match the steel of my bracers.

The several straps hugging my calves are actually very flexible and have an alternate purpose than keeping my gladiator sandals secure. Mr. Qrow told me that I need to have some sort of ranged attack if I'm going to deal with Weiss, Blake, and Ruby.

His suggestion?

A modification to my weapons that can make my kicks gain a surprising range to them. Initially he wanted to turn my heels into a gun. I was against stepping out of my comfort zone. I enjoy a close range fight, and having something like that is completely against my nature. My weapon's supposed to reflect who I am. I'm a melee expert, not a marksman. With my clear bias towards not using a gun, he decided on something a little more complicated, but I was happy to experiment.

Eventually I come across a clearing in the forest. My steady jog brings me to the identical tower. I decide to not use the front door to leave everything as it is. Instead I locate where the front door is and go to the other side to make sure the marks I'm about to make won't be so easily noticed. The structure is made of stone and concrete. Both of which I can easily pierce with Hantakuro.

Alright. Up we go.

I gaze up the structure and notice the window that's way at the top. I huff before holding my forearms parallel to each other. I then slam my forearms together, more importantly making the bands on my forearms extend towards my hands and cover everything from the elbow-down with a steel covering. I turn my palms towards me to observe the sharp claws my weapons shape into. The glisten and shine that bounces off of them from the sunlight makes me smile.

I turn my attention back to the tower and lower down to a squat. One deep breath and I lunge myself upwards and towards the wall. Immediately I dig my claws into the stone wall, followed by kicking with my feet to keep my momentum going upward. Each kick of my left leg is followed by me replacing my right claw in the structure, and the same goes for my right left and left claw.

With a steady rhythm I'm easily able to make it to the window that I believe to be an entrance to the highest room in the entire tower. Unfortunately, there's wood covering the window which forces me to climb above and use my feet to push the wood out of the way before I can lower myself and step on the windowsill to gain entry.

As expected there's a black duffle bag sitting in the center of the room, exactly how mine was set up. I unzip the bag and hold it open to peek inside. The information I'm after is right on the heading of the letter that contains the same body of information that mine did.

Yang Xiao Long.

I read with a growing smirk and reseal the bag.

This is Sunflower's spot. Perfect.

I leave the same way I came in and make sure I close the window to leave everything as it was. When I make it to the bottom of the tower I decide to look around the perimeter at the several trees that circle the tower. I continue to walk around until I find one with a massive amount of leaves and thick, secure branches that appear to be more than capable of holding my body weight while also having a way for me to sit comfortably on it.

The tree I find has a Y-shaped split that I immediately take note of. Without a second thought I hop onto that split that's roughly 2 stories off the ground. I place my legs on either side of one branch and lean my back against the other. From here I have an easy overlook of the door to get into the tower. When Sunflower gets here I'll be making it my business to say hello.

With uncertainty of how long the wait will be I change my claws into their passive form and let myself relax until I'm able to fall asleep.

* * *

**(1 1/2 hours later)**

"Shun . . . Shun are you there? SHUN!"

The sudden voice in my ear makes me jerk awake and almost fall out of the tree. I let out a few sounds to let my presence be known while I take a couple of seconds to recover from the confusion and drowsiness of just waking up.

"I'm here. Don't blow out my eardrums. What's . . . what's going on?" I ask, pausing mid-sentence to yawn.

"You haven't moved or made a sound for nearly about 90 minutes. What are you doing?" Mr. Qrow shouts at me.

"Well, I found a nice spot to wait for someone. Apparently I'm near Yang's place. If I play my cards right I'll take care of her before everyone's even at their base." I say and look towards the door of the tower. It's still wide open, leading me to assume that Yang hasn't gone in yet. Either that, or she decided to not even close the door behind her.

"You're underestimating her. Yang only plans on losing to one person . . . and it isn't you." He responds with a tone that makes me picture his confident smirk.

"I don't have my weights on. I'm pretty sure I can take her. She's not quick enough to follow me or my kicks for that matter." I state with complete confidence.

"If that's how you feel . . . I'll let you go all out against her, but only her unless I say otherwise."

"Wait . . . what?" I blink a few times and place a finger on my earpiece to push it further in to assure I'm not hearing anything wrong. "Mind saying that again?"

"You heard me. Go all out in this fight. You can use your semblance . . . but win, lose, withdraw, or retreat . . . you're not to use it any time after the confrontation unless I say so." He explains to me, but with a more serious tone than what he usually uses.

"You okay, Mr. Qrow? You seem . . . edgy."

"I'm fine, kid. I just need you to do your best."

"Then why not let me use my semblance the entire time?"

"Because your semblance has too many holes in it. If you were a Huntress you wouldn't last a second by relying on it. Your strength is in your physical abilities. I'm letting you use your semblance now . . . but choose when to use it, otherwise you've lost."

"What? My semblance makes me IDEAL for facing people with a fighting style like Sunflower's. How could I lose against her?" I ask with curiosity and surprise to what he's telling me.

"It's something you need to find out yourself. Just don't take her right cross . . . the last thing I need is to have to carry you all the way back to the mansion."

"Oh, please. You have a better chance of going straight-edge" I tease.

"Hey . . . I've stayed off the stuff since Blake's been at the house. I'm treating myself when they leave. Tai made me promise because of first impressions and all of that other junk." He chuckles.

"Gonna save me a cup?"

"You're too lightweight. I'll find you something gentle."

". . . Bird"

"Kitten." He snarks back before the two of us start laughing.

I shake my head and look towards the tower, noticing a figure leaving the forest. A quick, careful glance and I can make out the easiest trait to verify that it's Yang. I smile as I watch her walk, admiring her precious, golden mane that flows and follows behind her. She's being very careful with each step and makes sure to look around to avoid any sort of sneak attacks.

As tempted as I am to hop down and greet her, I know that I'm not allowed to face her until after she's been inside and retrieved her setup from the duffle bag. Against every urge I have to fight her now, I manage to subdue myself long enough for her to get out of my sight and into the tower.

What the hell could Mr. Qrow mean? Yang's a straightforward fight. I've never had to use my semblance against her before when we spar, so why would she have an advantage when I have no restrictions?

I take a deep breath and reach down to my ankles to pull on a small elastic band I have around my ankle. The band I have is something like a rubber band, but it has much more resistance in comparison to one. I take the band off and carefully move it around my right ear. At the same time I use my left hand to brush my bangs aside to expose my right eye. With the band around my ear I bring my bangs over and carefully move them over to the back of my ear before securing it there with the band.

A simpler method would be to cut my bangs short enough to grant me vision, but if I go back to a patch with my right eye visible, I'll never hear the end of it. I cut my hair once when I was younger and my multi-colored eyes became something that I was instantly known for.

My left eye being a Halloween orange along the outer part of the iris and fading to a yellow as it nears my pupil. That color change is not something people notice, but what gets everyone's attention is the colors of my right eye. Along the outer part of the iris it's a jade-type of green that fades to a shade of blue. On top of that my right eye is more cat-like than my left. Instead of having perfectly rounded pupils on each, my right pupil resembles a cat's.

_"You know . . . if I didn't know how sweet you can be, I'd say your eyes are the cutest thing about you."_

The small voice and remembrance forces me to shake my head and kick the branch in front of me out of sheer anger that such a thought would appear in my head at a time like this.

"Those days are over . . . You weren't cut out for any of it." I murmur to myself. Despite me trying to forget about a few memories, they only become louder in my head and more vivid until I enter a daydream, recalling an event that happened years ago.

* * *

(**3-4 years ago: Patch)**

"There's the gal of the hour! Shun, get your lazy ass over here." Brandon calls from across the gym.

I'm just getting into the door. Working at the dust shop was tiring, but as usual I come by to get in a few kicks before I head home. I walk through the gym, gazing at the heavy bags, weights, and the empty ring that is very out of character for the gym. There's always someone boxing in there.

"What, Bran? You know I hate loitering this late." I look towards him and notice someone seated at the bench a few feet behind him. Trademarked long, blonde hair is the first thing that catches my eyes. Afterwards it's the beautiful, glistening lilac eyes that are sweet to stare at, but have a touch of 'don't fuck with me' in her gaze. She's wearing a yellow tank top with some sort of weird insignia over her left breast . . . and don't get me started on her chest.

What I take more interest in is the fact that she's wearing a pair of boxing gloves. What surprises me more is that they're not one of the regular ones that Brandon keeps in the gym. Instead these are yellow mitts with black tape, something I know for a fact that Brandon doesn't own.

"We got a lil competition for ya. She's been comin' by the past two days and whoopin' most of the regulars. Told her we have a kickboxer here that can't be beat and she's up for the challenge.

"She looks too fragile." I comment with feigned disinterest.

"What!?" The blonde calls out to me and stands up with a fire in her eyes. The lilac gaze from earlier changes to a red-eyed stare that makes me take a half-step back in surprise.

_She's got multi-colored eyes . . . how about that._

"You ain't seen nothin' until you face me in the ring." The blonde says with clear arrogance and a smirk that could possibly rival my own. Seeing the way she smiles with her red eyes makes me recall that she attends Signal with me. In fact, she reminds me of someone who's been helping me out with my difficulties in life so far.

"You know . . . you remind me of one of my teachers. He's got his quirks."

"Are you going to talk, or are you going to show me what'cha got?"

_She's a hothead . . ._

"Alright, kid. I'll face you, but first I need you to look close." I lean down to bring myself eye-level with her. If I had to guess I'd say that she's about three inches shorter than me, maybe four.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because if you don't, then you're not facing me." I explain.

There's no argument afterwards and just as she focuses her eyes on my uncovered eye I trigger a small amount of aura into my eye. The result is her red eyes changing back to their lilac color and a relaxed look covering her face.

"What . . . what was that?" she asks with surprise.

"You looked pissed. It's too easy to beat someone who wears their emotions on their shoulder. Brandon, mind getting my gear while I have a talk with Sunflower here?" I ask before getting a quick nod from him.

"Sun . . . flower? You mean me?" She stares at me.

"Yeah, you wear a crapton of yellow. You're beautiful to look at, have a flowery aroma . . . and quite frankly I feel some weird heat radiating off of you . . . reminds me of the sun. You seem like the kind of person to punch things to relieve stress . . . what got you pissed?" I ask

"Just some JERK making fun of my sister. I swear I'm going to punch him as hard as I can tomorrow and let him know to leave her alone." I watch with interest as I notice her gloves curling from her attempting to ball her hands into fists.

"So you start coming here to take your anger out on the regulars? At least you're facing people that can fight. So, what's this guy being an ass about?"

"He's being a jerk to my sis 'cause she's . . ."

I raise an eyebrow when she pauses mid-sentence.

" 'Cause she's what? Spit it out, I don't judge."

"She prefers girls." She answers, but before I can even respond I watch her raise her glove and stare me down. "If you tell ANYBODY-"

"Calm down . . . I did say you were beautiful to look at, didn't I?" Her anger-filled face turns to that of shock, and from there she takes a step back from me with an audible scoff.

"Please, like I'd show any interest in someone I'm about to KO." She rolls her eyes at me.

"Alright, smartass. How about we meet up here every night until you beat me? The quicker you beat me, the quicker I'll be out of your life . . . unless you're scared." I taunt.

"Like I'd back down from a challenge."

"Name's Shun."

"Yang . . . Yang Xiao Long."

* * *

. . . She's never beaten me since then, and I don't plan on letting her beat me. When she beats me I'll be out of her life.

The problem is . . . I don't plan on losing to her anytime soon. I don't want to be out of her life. Just because she has someone doesn't mean they'll be there forever. I'll give Yang a reminder of why we fell for each other in the first place.

"I never did tell her what my favorite flower is." I chuckle, but my monologue is quickly commented on by Mr. Qrow.

"What? Tell who about your favorite flower?" I practically jump when his voice rings in my ear.

"N-nothin'. I see Yang coming out the tower, gotta go." I lie, but ironically I see her stepping out of the tower a few seconds after with her Ember Celica in their active form.

"SUNFLOWER~" I call out without moving from my spot. As expected she can't see me through the shadows of the several leaves above me, and instead she cocks her weapon and starts to gaze around.

"I ain't sneakin' up on you. Look left . . . little more . . . too far . . . right about there." I call out until she's looking in my general direction. I jump down from the tree and hold my hands up to be leveled with my head.

"You found me already? You don't waste time, do you?"

"What can I say . . . I have a thing for blondes." I counter.

In one motion I bring my forearms together, smacking the bands near my elbows to trigger my weapon's transformation into its active form.

"You probably forgot . . . I'm off the market." She carefully shifts into her boxing stance. Her lilac eyes staring right at me just like they did that day.

"You are? Here I thought we could arrange a threesome. I'm sure Belladonna wouldn't mind . . . Hell, she could make it a foursome." I tease, but my remark causes the lilac gaze to shift to a red, piercing stare. "Okay . . . I guess talk's over."

She's edgy . . . Guess Blake doesn't know that little trick that Yang likes when I would-

"Holy-!" I duck and slightly dive to my right to get out of the way of an explosive buckshot aimed right at me. Immediately I shift my eyes back to Yang who's running right at me with a fire in her that I haven't seen in awhile.

Her dash towards me is ended when she lunges for her right cross to connect just as I am getting back to my feet. I read the easy counter, but just before she's in kicking distance she shoots from the Ember Celica on her left hand, causing her momentum to increase dramatically. Instead of going for the typical kick I would use to knock her hand out of the way I'm forced to lean to a side and dive on the ground so her entire body can make it past me.

_For Remnant's sake!_

I jump to my feet and immediately raise my right leg. If I'm going to deal with her bullets and gauntlets I'll need to use my right blade; the one I use to pierce armor. Once I'm in my stance she delays her next approach with a few shots that force me to sidestep, backflip, and even dive roll to avoid. An explosive shot isn't exactly the easiest thing to deflect, and while I'm capable of doing it I don't want to risk getting caught in the blast.

I decide to play her game and use my speed to my advantage. I turn around and start dashing towards her tower, zig-zagging to avoid any she starts to send my way. Once I'm a short distance towards it I crouch down and let out an explosive jump that brings me to the second story window. Immediately I follow by kicking off the windowsill and continuing to the very top where one of those weird rotating compass things with the rooster on top is.

"Get down here you coward!" She screams up to me with a clear lack of amusement.

"Make me!" I shout back.

I watch carefully, waiting for her to shoot at me, but just before the motion for her punch finishes I hear an echoing shot off in the distance. I play it safe and slide down the other side of the tower, putting the building between me and Yang.

Within the next second I hear the distinct sound of Yang's weapon, on top of a bullet that just barely whizzed right by my head. In a panic I begin to drop down from the tower, using my claws to grip the wall every few feet until I'm low enough that a simple roll will kill any falling momentum I have.

_Shit . . . Ruby's already out here. If I go anywhere high she'll see me for sure._

Playing games with Yang could buy Ruby enough time to get into a good spot and pick both of us off. I need to either take care of Yang now, or get out of here while I have the tower obstructing her view.

I'm allowed to use my semblance . . . If Ruby gets involved I could probably catch her too.

I smile to myself and dash around the structure to go right for Yang who is completely ready for my approach. Before her next shot can be fired I lower myself a little closer to the ground, plant my foot firmly in the dirt and take a much harder step than what I usually do. With one of Mr. Qrow's anklets on I would sink into the dirt from the gravity put behind it, but thankfully I'm released from the weights I keep on my ankles, and the one I kept around my torso. With my foot planted I kick with all of my might to change my direction to a more diagonal approach towards her, then do so again with my other leg to keep her constantly guessing. When I realize she is just barely within my range I blink and trigger my semblance. The yellow and blue colors along the inner part of my irises become the dominant color, replacing the orange and green that used to outline them.

The ground around me is no longer the beautiful green of grass, or the faint traces of healthy, brown soil. Instead I see the grass as several outlines of a more bluish color in comparison to what I saw earlier. Instead of dirt I see an endless amount of pitch-black below the tangible bluish color of the grass.

Directly ahead of me is Yang. I don't see her beautiful red eyes, her precious face of determination and undying stubbornness. Instead I see her outline of golden yellow that is filled in with several, somewhat random lines that make up her outline as a person. The one distinct quality that I can make out are these yellow lines behind the figure forming up her massive golden mane. Each and every detail remaining how I remember it.

However, surrounding the figure are fading trails that evaporate when they float too far away. This is how everything looks when I use my semblance. I'm not seeing anything physical. Instead I'm sacrificing my natural sight to see the auras around me. Not only that, but my right eye is the one seeing the auras, my left eye gains a more enhanced perception of movement and time. In simple terms I can read and react to movements much quicker as long as they're within my range. In a fight like this there's no way I'll lose to her.

The previous stages of my semblance allow me to manipulate the aura of others to an extent. Calming someone down, even calming them far enough to force them to sleep are two of my abilities. However, my fourth stage lets me see the auras I'm capable of manipulating in my prior stages. It's a vision I'm proud of.

Tree trunks, branches, leaves, and all living things become intricate series of lines that I can trace infinitely. Anything, and everything with an aura reveals itself in a new light. It's this vision that reminds me of the beauty within the world. I can see how everything is connected, even the roots buried deep underground are capable of being viewed.

It's not until I'm about 5 feet away that she decides to jump back and shoot her round near her previous location, expecting me to close the gap as quick as possible and walk into the pre-meditated shot.

The moment she takes a slight step back to jump I notice and use my next diagonal step to move away from her takeoff location. With her retreating in the air I'm easily at an advantage. Even if she uses her Ember Celica to change direction there's a limit to how much the recoil can move her. It's just a matter of calculating where she's aiming and determine where she's going to be after her shot.

Without worry of her being able to hit me I plant my hands and feet into the dirt, making use of all four of my limbs to push off of the ground and follow her in a heated pursuit.

I look at her while she crosses her arms, bracing for a kick towards her chest and face. I could easily aim for her stomach, but I need to move the fight to where I have more of an advantage. Somewhere that I can see her every move but she can't see mine.

I extend my arms and swing them in the same direction, using the motion to build momentum to force myself into a spin so I can deliver a firm, spinning back kick to Yang's cross-armed guard and send her into the forest ahead of me.

I hit her hard enough that all I notice for a time is the fading aura of her previous locations while I enter the forest in pursuit. I carefully follow the trail until it completely dissipates from my view, forcing me to rely on some of the less obvious trails such as a few leaves falling to the ground. As some of the leaves fall I can notice instantly how some of the lines of aura begin to fade after being detached from their tree.

I continue to walk forward, trying to find out where she could be until the distinct sound of her Ember Celica firing forces me to move behind a tree. I can feel the gust of a nearby blast blow my hair, and immediately I look towards where I believe the blast to be. What I can see instead is a radius of grass starting to fade away, most likely from being destroyed by Yang's Ember Celica.

While I can't see exactly where Yang is, I'm still able to determine the direction of the shot and quickly make my advance towards that location before she can fire again. My approach this time is guarded by several tree trunks that are hit with heated explosions. I close my right eye to focus on my physical vision, and while it is very dim I can still see a faint flash off in the distance that I know has to belong to Yang's weapon. I open my right eye again and redirect myself to move more towards the flash until I see a faint, yellow outline that grows brighter the closer I get.

_I found you, Sunflower._

She realizes that shooting at me won't slow my approach at all, and instead she enters her boxing stance to greet me as I rush towards her. When I get into striking distance she immediately throws up her right knee since I'm still somewhat hunched over to the ground. Her knee is quick to come up, and is well-timed to hit me in the forehead. I tilt my head towards my right to narrowly avoid it , instead directing my attention towards her left leg that is still planted in the ground.

With my right shoulder I dive into her left thigh, forcing her into a flip when my tackle brings her leg off of the ground. When she hits the ground I am on my hands and knees and she is flat on her back to my left with her body facing the same direction as mine. On instinct I quickly shift my weight onto my hands and attempt to send the heel of my foot into her stomach, but she rolls out of the way. I then turn my entire body and try to bury the tip of my other foot into her stomach, continuing the constant attack while she is unable to get off of the ground until eventually I run out of kicking room when a tree obstructs me from extending my leg completely.

Before Yang can deliver a solid hit to me I roll and tumble away as quick as I can to build a small amount of distance before I finally stand up. So far she's been capable of dodging most of my attacks. If I can't finish her soon I may need to fall back with the knowledge that Ruby knows our general location. Yang can shrug off Ruby's bullets for sure, but I'm not blessed with the same defense as others.

"You're toying with me, Hito. I don't like it." Sunflower calls out to me

"What makes you say that?" I take the brief pause to crack my neck, back, and fingers.

"I know how you fight." Yang answers before firing at me with her Ember Celica.

Just by her punching motion I know she's about to trigger her weapon, so immediately I duck in and take a powerful step towards her. The gust in my hair as the buckshot blurs by my head makes me realize I cut it a little too close, and next time I should sidestep before my arrogance gets the better of me.

This time when I close the gap I immediately go for a left kick to her right leg. With a pre-meditated thought I stop just short and instead pull my leg back to raise my knee towards my chest and extend my leg to bury my foot into her stomach and send Yang flying back into a nearby tree.

Before she has time to take a breath, I'm back in her face delivering a flurry of right kicks to her midsection without remorse.

It's then that I'm reminded of her over-the-top durability when she steadies herself long enough to wrap her left arm around my calf, cradling it between her bicep and hip. Then with her right hand she starts to throw her counter punches that I'm forced to block with my claws. Thanks to my semblance I can see my hands as an orange mass of contours with Yang's arm noticeable through mine, making the need to lower my guard to see the next attack unnecessary.

When she pulls back after her fifth punch and prepares to deliver her sixth, I push my left leg off of the ground in an attempt to shove my knee in the side of her head. Surprisingly she's prepared for it and goes on to block, and then hook that leg, forcing me to land on my back and in an exposed position for her to lean over me and start delivering her counter-attack.

Before her first hit can connect I curl up my legs and rabbit kick her in the ribcage to send her back into the same tree I kicked her into earlier. The kick that was out of desperation more than anything grants me enough time to move back to my feet.

As annoying as it is to admit, she's a little too durable in a real fight. It makes focusing on one body part a hassle if she can avoid flinching long enough to counter me. It's not even a second after I'm back on my feet that she's already dashing at me again. Throwing left jabs, right hooks, left body shots and even a random right low kick that keeps me from throwing out my own kick to counter her usual combo.

The surprise that catches me is when she starts to throw a left hook and shoots the gauntlet on her right arm to add more torque to her body to add momentum to the punch. The punch completely misses my head, leading me to assume that she misjudged her reach, but as her back is turned towards me I notice the oncoming elbow while she enters a sudden spin.

Out of sheer stubbornness to leave my comfort zone in a fight, I raise both of my arms to the right side of my head to absorb the elbow just before it's able to reach its target. Immediately I bring my left knee up to her kidney, accompanied by a right elbow to her neck before following with a hard, right to left kick from my right leg that I use to knock both of her feet off the ground. After the kick I keep my right foot off of the ground so I can bring it above my head and swing it down to deliver an axe kick to Sunflower while she's still in the stage of falling. For the first time I'm able to land a solid, unguarded kick that sends her into the dirt with a little more than a simple ground rattling.

_That won't do her in._

I lean back after the kick and backflip into a handstand, then continue vaulting backwards, going from my hands back to my feet until I'm several meters away. As expected, Yang stands up, but the dissipating aura around her is dim.

_Did I hurt her more than I thought?_

I take a slight step forward, ready to move in to finish her if she's truly weakened. It's then that I see her slam her knuckles together, a clear indication of her activating her own semblance. When her semblance triggers I notice some sort of serpent-like figure spiral around her a few times before it disappears. To me it looked like a snake was coiling itself around her.

The effect of her using her semblance makes me go wide-eyed when the clear figure I've been able to see gains a blurry flame surrounding it. It takes me a while to realize that the flames I see dissipating along her outline is actually the untamed, and uncontrollable nature of her aura when she uses her semblance.

The blurry figure makes it harder for me to see her motions and incoming attacks.

_Is this what Mr. Qrow meant?_

I push the question to the back of my head and try my best to make out Yang's shape in the growing mass of aura. When she makes her advance on me this time I raise my arms up slightly higher than usual, along with tucking my elbows as close to my sides as possible in preparation to guard as much of my body as possible.

As expected, her attacks are concealed by her uncontrolled aura, forcing me to guess where her arms are in the blinding mix of yellow and react accordingly. A punch to my left hip is guarded against, but is then followed up by a breathtaking body shot that forces me to hunch forward and let out any miniscule amount of air in my lungs.

Out of sheer desperation I lean my body to balance slightly on her fist. I let myself hunch over just a little more, and with every ounce of energy I curl my left leg over my back and to my left shoulder to hit her in the side of the head with a very awkward kick that lacks the usual power one of my kicks would have.

My kick appears to have some sort of effect on her. Her fist leaves my stomach and she ends up taking a few steps back, possibly from trying to shake off the dizzy spell from the very random attack. The punch to my stomach is enough to keep me from taking any serious breaths, assuring that I'll need to retreat the moment an opportunity presents itself.

I slowly roll to my feet, keeping my left forearm cradled to my stomach. My right hand extends to find a nearby tree trunk to lean against for support. I look towards Yang again, this time seeing her aura calm down just enough for her limbs to be seeable.

Under the knowledge that I'm hurt, Yang comes running right back at me at full speed. I dig my claws into the tree and wait just long enough before I violently tug on the trunk to force myself into a sudden, high velocity spin going clockwise. The swift motion allows me to build up momentum to deliver a very quick, surprising, and painful left kick to Yang's right hip that sends her flying off in the distance with the sounds of breaking trees and shredding dirt accompanying the distance growing between the two of us.

"Of all the . . . *wheeze* . . . times she leaves me . . . *wheeze* . . . breathless . . ." I try to ease the situation with a poor attempt at humor.

I quickly fish through one of my pockets to find the device that has my tower marked, but with my semblance active I'm incapable of reading the device.

"Turn to your 4 O'clock position and don't stop moving. It's situations like these that remind me why I don't like you using your semblance . . . Get moving."

I nod my head to nobody in particular and quickly follow his instruction. With my left arm across my abdomen I take in quick, shallow breaths while I make my way through the forest until I finally come across an area that is purely grass. I continue to move forward, waiting until I notice that there's no more grassy outlines and instead see that there's a bottomless abyss in front of me.

"The door's somewhere to the right. Get inside and manage the side effects."

I can hear the disappointment in his voice while he instructs me where to go like a blind child . . . which is what I am at this point. My semblance makes me more capable of fighting, but Yang's aura is too wild for me to read it properly. It's clear that she's another person I can't use my semblance on.

I reach in front of me to touch the stone wall and follow it until I'm able to find the doorway into the tower and make my way inside before finding a spot on the floor to collapse on.

"I get it Mr. Qrow . . . my semblance is more of a hindrance if I don't know its limitations. I think I can handle everyone else with it, though. I can follow Ruby's movements, and possibly differentiate Belladonna's clones from the original. I could probably even predict Weiss' movements before her glyphs are completely formed too . . . but Sunflower's just . . ."

"She's a wild, untamed animal. You're not much different to be honest." Mr. Qrow sounds completely serious, but then breaks the tension with a small joke that I can't help but agree to. "Blake has to keep her in check just like I need to keep you in check . . . Not sure who has the harder job."

"I'm not that bad . . ." I sigh.

I close my eyes and take a painful, deep breath. I follow it with a slow exhale and carefully start to open my eyes. As expected my vision is extremely blurry, and on top of that my eyes are in pain from the bright light of the afternoon sun. After using my semblance my pupils remain dilated for roughly half an hour, making my vision terrible and my ability to handle sunlight impossible.

"Mr. Qrow . . . why can't I stay out after dark? I won't need to worry about the side effects of my semblance at night." I ask as carefully as I can.

"Shun . . . that cryptic message you read to me. It's not safe for you to be out there after dusk. I know how capable you are more than anybody, but you can't handle what's being thrown out there." He explains to me with an oddly apologetic tone.

". . . I don't like being benched."

"And I don't like benching people."

"Can I get 1 hour after sunset?"

"I already said it won't be safe out there for you!"

"Just 1 hour! . . . If I can't find anyone within the first half hour I'll call it quits early. Please!" I beg. The thought of having an entire day where I'm supposedly not capable of stepping outside for whatever reason continues to eat away at my self-esteem. I trust Mr. Qrow's judgement, but I still want a chance to make up for what happened with Sunflower. The fact that I had to retreat at the mere sight of her semblance (pun intended) is embarrassing.

". . . I'll give you 45 minutes . . . at the end of that time you're heading back, even if you're fighting someone. Am I clear?"

"Crystal." I answer with a smile across my face. I gaze around the room, trying to make out details of some of the objects, but my vision is still too blurry to have any use.

"Looks like there's another fight to monitor. I'll check in with you soon. Don't push yourself." He whispers to me before I hear a slight click that tells me he just muted his microphone.

What is it that's coming out tonight? I wish he'd just tell me already.

I lean back to lay on the floor. I decide the best way to pass the time is to take a nap and hopefully wake up with plenty of time to prepare myself and bandage my abdomen. Sunflower came close to beating me, but I've always been the one to adapt better. The next time I see her I'll definitely have the advantage.

So, that's the chapter, and now we know what her semblance is. Curious as to what you guys think of it. Obviously it's extremely situational, but its combat potential is unmatched against the right opponent. I think you'll also realize why she's incapable of fighting grim with it as well.

* * *

_**As always, leave a review, about the chapter. Tell me what was a hit, and what was a miss :D**_


	25. The ScareQrow with a Brain

_SO, I'm pretty happy xD The training I had Weiss do from Qrow turned out to be a canon method of improving her semblance :P Hi five me!_

_. . . No seriously, put your hand to the monitor right now._

_You know what, fuck you then. I'm happy and you don't want to hi five me x.x_

_Anyway! Here's Chapter 25, it's an outside POV and is more of a brain teaser chapter. People who enjoy reading how people outsmart others will really enjoy this in my opinion. _

_Also o.o I thought writing a racist character would be easy . . . since I can make a crapton of racist jokes (I'm not racist though!) but . . . damn, I made myself cringe at some point. Even did research on the Faunus Civil War to make sure everything I said was accurate._

_Final note, this is just for people who read my Ninjas of Love story:_

_The third and final chapter is up. Only saying this since FF likes to be a dick and not notify you. Now, here's chapter 25!_

* * *

_**Chapter 25 - The ScareQrow with a Brain**_

**(Flashback – Yesterday, Late Night)**

"Alright. Focus mitt training." I sigh. It's been roughly an hour after what happened with Will and Qrow. Needless to say, the encounter ended in a less-than-pleasing manner. I was hoping that there would be no harsh feelings after everything was said and done, but everything took a turn when Qrow showed up in a clearly agitated mood.

"But . . . I've already been doing focus mitt training with Yang. What's the point of doing it now?" Weiss questions with impatience and annoyance in her voice. I can't blame her for being agitated after what just happened and Qrow jumping into a bet that he shouldn't have made. I should have given him a bottle of whiskey. At least it would have kept him quiet and a little calmer when he showed up.

"Weiss, do you even understand the point of using your semblance in a method you've rarely used it before?" I ask her.

"To increase its functions and uses pretty much." She answers without taking a moment to think about it.

"Weiss . . . You're a Schnee. What's the one thing every Schnee is capable of doing with their glyphs? It's barely a secret to anyone my age." She gives me a questioning glare about what one thing has to do with the other.

"If you're referring to summoning, then-"

"Exactly, using your semblance in different ways can mature it. It's a muscle. If you do the same workout over and over again, then you'll just plateau. We're going to do Qrow's focus mitt training, but this time you have someone that can punch harder . . . and with better aura control." I stare at Weiss who appears somewhat shocked at what Qrow's training was meant for. "You learned a new glyph and he has you learning how to strengthen it. I'm sure your father or sister are more capable in teaching you, but I have no idea where your sister is and your father is certainly out of the question."

While I have knowledge of what a Schnee's glyphs are capable of I'm still no expert in how to train one, and I'm sure that Qrow has little to no knowledge of what it takes to master a new glyph. While the semblances are different, there's still the same concept of improving it, and that's straining it in different ways until it matures and evolves. Blake's improvement to her semblance is a prime example of what can be obtained by using your aura with more concentration.

That same concept is something Yang has learned with her semblance. I've seen Yang channel her aura from her semblance into her hand for a punch that can rival a small supernova. Ruby's semblance can practically manipulate the wind around her if she moves fast enough and adds a rotation to her body. I remember reading a letter from her where she practically gloated about sending her friends into a wall and turning that wall into a giant mosaic

Weiss on the other hand doesn't truly need to strain her semblance that much. As a Schnee she has access to an unlimited supply of dust. She can change the element of her semblance and use it in sync with Myrtenaster to get several different effects. The point of Qrow's training is to focus more on the original function of her semblance and take the use of dust out of the equation. I'm sure her summoning will be a lot stronger if she's able to train herself in this manner.

"I understand, but why are we on the roof? There's a room we can use for training purposes." Weiss debates.

"Right . . . be in a completely comfortable room with perfect silence and a perfect temperature to give you the ideal scenario to train and concentrate." I say with clear sarcasm. "You're never going to be in a perfect environment. You're never going to be in complete silence where concentration is easy. Even in learning stages I don't believe in 'optimal environments'. You're a Huntress in Training; if you can't learn something on a calm night where the only distractions are the sounds of insects and the slight nip of the cold air, then you're a lost cause."

My words have a visible effect on her based on her facial expression. The readiness and determination now replaced with a look of mild depression after I practically scold her for wanting to train indoors instead. While Qrow is more relaxed and can be forgiving, I am harsher in my methods. Although I will admit that – like my daughter – I am the type of person to throw someone in water to teach them how to swim.

"Hands up. I'll be using my left hand for now." I tell her.

At my command she raises her hands half-heartedly. I shake my head and without the slightest warning or entering of a stance I throw my left hand between hers and stop it centimeters from her face. The surprise she gets from the sudden feint makes her jump back and fall onto the floor.

"I'm not going to be targeting your hands like Yang does. This is reverse focus mitt training . . . You'll be defending from my attacks. There's nobody here to assist you. There's no Yang to pull you away from a ground-shattering axe kick. There's no Blake to distract your targets. There's no Ruby to offer covering fire. You're on your own, and in the field you need to fight as if you can only rely on your own abilities while also knowing you have support should things go wrong. On the other hand, there's nobody you need to look out for. You don't need to cast a glyph across the area to protect someone else. You're by yourself. That means forget about Yang and Blake. Most of all forget about Ruby." My tone is firm and harsh. As expected I have her attention immediately and without me having to tell her, she raises her hands immediately.

Without giving any signal that I'm going to punch I step in with my left foot and aim straight for her kidney, only putting enough aura into my hand to guard against her glyph. Her reaction time is good, allowing her to guard the attack without having to step away to grant her a split-second of extra reaction time which impresses me.

I pull my hand back and go for the exact same punch, applying much more aura into it than I did earlier. However, I don't exert my aura until the moment my hand makes contact with her glyph. Her semblance holds strong against my attack, but I also notice a slight crack that forms in it before it disappears.

_It's stronger than I thought . . . but Yang could probably get through this if a fight prolongs._

"Weiss . . . Do you think you could outlast Yang in a fight?" The question brings a confused look to her face.

"I'm certain I can. There's no question about it." She answers with complete confidence.

"Even if she blindsides you? Or if her semblance is supercharged from a previous fight? I never said it was a fair fight. There's conditions you may be under that will drastically affect the outcome, and there's nothing you can do about it." I take a few steps back and take a loud, deep breath. "I'll be expecting you to guard with everything you've got . . . My nickname isn't the Sun Dragon for nothing."

* * *

**(Present)**

"Looks like Qrow's pet made it away from your daughter, Taiyang." I look to my right to see Will smirking. He's looking down at his scroll, shifting through some of the cameras scattered throughout the forest to see what progress is being made. I'm currently doing the same thing after getting one of his personal scrolls that is already pre-programed with the camera feeds.

"She's not a pet . . . She's a person, and she has a name." I say to him while looking down at the scroll.

"As animalistic as her weapon is, you can still call that a person? _**It's**_ getting little in the form of acknowledgement from me. I wish I would've known that Qrow brought a filthy Faunus into my home."

"She showers on a regular basis, actually." A familiar voice calls out from behind the two of us.

We're currently in Will's study. A fireplace sits in front of the two of us, and behind us are several books that decorate the shelves of the walls. On top of that, the large, wooden door that leads out of the room is also directly behind us. Standing in the doorway right now is none other than Qrow.

"Also, I'd appreciate if you not badmouth my family. Sure, she can be a little bitchy. She has some bad attitude problems . . . daddy issues for sure . . . not to mention she used to date-"

"QROW." I call out to stop him. It's none of Will's business who Shun, or Yang have gone out with. When I call his name he slowly raises his hands and nods his head in an apologetic manner.

"Anyway . . . camera 24 . . . the one overlooking a clearing. I saw Weiss heading over there from one of the other feeds . . . Valerie's over there too."

"VALKYRIE. For Remnant's sake her name is Nora Valkyrie, Qrow."

"Yeah. Let's go with that. Now, important information: Camera 24. Y'know . . . where I said Valerie and Rice are?" Qrow gives me a look of stupidity, dismissing my earlier correction of Nora's name and instead pushing the fact that a second battle will be beginning.

"Alright . . . 24." I sigh and change the camera my scroll is displaying before Qrow gets even more antsy. "By the way, Shun lost to Yang. She's still in, but she had to retreat. It looked like she had an advantage, but . . . I don't know, Yang activated her semblance and Shun just . . . she looked freaked out and disoriented. I doubt Yang's semblance was charged up enough to put fear in Shun . . . especially when she has to deal with your stupidity."

"Very funny, Tai. It's her semblance by the way. I told you . . . she sacrifices her sight to see things differently. She saw Yang's aura . . . Yang's uncontrollable aura. It's like being near-sighted and trying to look at someone's hand from a long distance . . . you know it's there, but you can't outline it clearly. Except for her . . . it's Yang's entire body. Yang's aura is like a fire . . . uncontrollable . . . untamed . . . It's unorthodox." Qrow's explanation sheds light on the situation. It makes me question just how effective Shun's semblance is when she's facing someone aside from Yang.

I look back at the scroll. The camera angle is pretty high up, probably propped against a nearby structure, but the vantage point it gives to the giant clearing trees makes it the perfect view what may be happening.

"Hm . . . Let's put this on the big screen. I'm curious to see how Beacon's trained my youngest."

Will reaches to the side of his recliner to grasp the nearby remote. He presses a single button on the remote that causes a loud, startling sound to occur near the fireplace. I watch on as the wooden wall behind stone fireplace starts to spread apart like a doorway. The stone fireplace is then slid into the opening in the wall, only to have the wooden walls close again and provide a giant, flat surface that is then covered by the brightening display of a projector that I didn't even think was near.

"Oh, so you put your daughter on the big screen but not my niece? I smell a hate crime." Qrow comments after making a sniffing sound.

"That's because you didn't shower last night." I snap at him.

"I don't smell that bad. My natural scent makes me quite the lady killer I'll have you know."

"Lady Killer is right . . . within ten feet and that scent becomes lethal." Will joins in, causing a series of snickers to erupt between him and I.

"Real funny. How about we see how your daughter deals with Valerie?"

_Either he's had a few drinks or he's seriously attempting to piss me off . . . and it's working like a charm unfortunately._

I take a deep breath and turn my eyes back to the projection ahead of me. It's a while longer before I see someone come into view. The first figure I see is the white and pink clad girl. The hyper figure practically skips in the open area with several pauses and what appears to be a giddy admiration for the surrounding area. That is of course, until a red glyph appears below her and concludes with a debris spreading eruption of dirt and grass.

_She's using her dust to start things off?_

"Typical of her to start with something basic." Her father sighs with disappointment.

_She has been using very basic glyphs from what I've seen . . . Don't tell me that she can't . . ._

"Will, how good is Weiss' summoning?" My question earns a hearty laugh from the owner of the Schnee Dust Company.

"I hope you're kidding. I haven't heard of her doing it successfully. Then again she rarely talks to me to begin with. You're better off asking her sister."

_So the strongest ability within the Schnee bloodline is still a no-show for her. That's an embarrassing situation to be in._

"Well . . . her chances of beating Shun just collapsed immensely." Qrow's voice is much closer now. I look to my right to see him standing slightly behind Will and I to get a better look at the projection. "Speaking of which . . . that obstacle you added is cruel."

"What obstacle?" Will turns his head and squints his eyes.

"You know exactly what obstacle I'm talking about. That riddle was a joke."

"That wasn't for you to know about." Will snaps at Qrow.

I sit there and sigh. It's unlike those two to get along, even when one of them has a daughter who's currently evading the heavy impacts of Nora's hammer.

I watch on, seeing Weiss turn the open field into her own tree line with the several glyphs she forms to strike and evade. Unlike the glyph I've seen her defend with, she's capable of making well over 8 of her basic one.

Each of her attacks starts off with her pushing off of a glyph and dashing past her target, making sure to slash or feint on each pass. In my right ear I am getting the annoying bickering between the two of them, but one of Qrow's sentences causes me to tune in when I've been making a point of ignoring them.

"Shun's not a Huntress, and for good reason."

"And how is that my fault? She's in a match with 4 . . . no, 5 huntresses in training. I won't give her any special treatment. She'll just have to deal with it like everybody else. Besides, one of our agreements was to allow you the chance to communicate with her. The only condition is you can't monitor anybody else while doing so." Will practically screams. "If your little _pet_ can't handle an obstacle so basic, then perhaps she needs to tune into that animalistic, insatiable, and unsophisticated side of her; which I guarantee she has. I haven't met a Faunus that had any form of manners, and I am certain there won't be one! The filthy creatures should be put in pens. Nein, they should be put in my mines to provide some sort of good deed to the people that make the clothes on their backs!"

_Now I remember why I don't come here._

"Ooo. Big words from someone who's already using Faunus as a cheap labor force." Qrow spits in his most sarcastic manner. "How about we just exclude all the good the Faunus have done? I know, let's start massacring every last one of them . . . Because it's soooo apparent that if you're a Faunus, then you're in the White Fang, and if you're in the White Fang, then you're a thorn in the ass of the almighty Schnee. Y'know . . . I think you're just worried about our bet."

"It's 5 against 1, Qrow. I don't need to worry about our bet."

"Or is it, Will?"

_You're going to tell him already?_

"Don't you try to bluff me, Qrow. There's 5 humans, and 1 animal out there. What were your words? If the Faunus in the match can outnumber the body count of the other humans defeated, then you win"

"That's right . . . now . . . what happens if there's 2 Faunus in the match . . . and 4 humans? What happens if one of them only needs to beat 2 people to tie it up . . . of course, if they beat each other it doesn't increase the count . . . but the fact of the matter is . . . If they beat two people . . . the last person only has 1 human to beat. Let me put this in perspective . . . If Shun beats two

Humans . . . and let's say Nora, Yang, and Blake are left-"

"Yang can easily take out two and tie it up." Will cuts in.

"Oh, but that's the beauty of it . . . what happens if one of the people Yang beats is a Faunus? Her score only goes up to 1, not 2. Or . . . what happens if Yang's a Faunus . . . oh, no . . . that's 4-0."

"You're trying to bluff me, Qrow, and it's not working. Your little pet needs to beat 3 people to win . . . there's no way around it."

"Unless one of the other people is a Faunus~" Qrow sings with a cheek to cheek grin on his face.

"Then it has to be the Valkyrie girl . . . my daughter wouldn't associate with that filthy specie."

As amusing as it is that Will's hesitant on the fact that Qrow outsmarted him, I'm still amazed that Qrow was capable of thinking of a bet that practically gives him the advantage. I was given the task of deciding who goes in, and when. It came down to concealing Blake in the middle of the deployments to mask the fact that she's the hidden Faunus. Making Nora go in last gives Shun and Blake time to engage. Those two probably butt heads, but they're also adept at fighting in forests because of their abilities. Ruby should be isolated herself, making her a clear contender late game . . . but Yang and Weiss are both targets for Team Faunus.

In that situation it turns everything into a 3 on 3 situation. Weiss knows the bet . . . she knows who the two Faunus are . . . Although there is a second half to the bet that they haven't gone through yet.

The Faunus in the match need to outnumber the body count for the other _humans _in the match. That leaves four targets for Shun and Blake to take out. Ideally they only need to take out two for Qrow to win the bet.

However, to avoid Weiss intentionally assisting, it was said that she can't _assist SHUN_ in any way. Qrow made the point of using her name while the two wrote down the arrangements. With the amount of technicalities that Qrow has in place . . . it's impossible for him to lose.

"Do you ever take time to listen to yourself, Will?" I finally jump into their argument. "Next thing you're going to want is to have every Faunus wear a tag stating what type they are . . . or you'll want to send them back to Menagerie."

"They were better off on that island. Everything was peaceful without them roaming free."

"The Faunus Rights Revolution exists, Will. That got them out of Menagerie. I'm sure that day's circled in your calendar as a day of infamy." I take a slow, deep breath to relax myself before I end up sharing in Qrow's hot blood. It's bad enough that he has a precious student that's a Faunus . . . but at the same time I also consider Shun a distant family member, and of course Blake is family without a second thought.

"Faunus Rights . . . you sound like an unconvincing politician."

"You would know better than anyone." I murmur in retaliation before focusing back on the screen.

While watching the exchange with a backtracking Weiss and a swing-happy Nora I notice Weiss hasn't stepped anywhere near the center of the open area. Instead she's remained near the trees and the shadows of the trees for the time being. Considering the fact that she has a semblance that can easily allow her to outmaneuver anyone I can't help but notice the small detail.

"That girl's scared to get a tan." Qrow comments, taking notice of the same thing as me. "Either that . . . or she's trying to line up for something special.

Suddenly Weiss vaults over Nora and moves to the very center of the area. I watch on as Nora takes the initiative and jumps into the air with the oversized mallet extended far above her head to bring it down with a ruthless impact. Weiss simply stands there and starts to extend her right hand in a manner that I deem far too calm.

_She's going to block it? Why waste the aura on that?_

However, I don't see Nora make an impact, or even follow through with her attack. A split-second before impact I see Weiss spawn her glyph while Nora immediately moves her left hand over her eyes and does a half-hearted, blind swing of the hammer with her right hand.

_What did she do?_

"Now that's a resourceful girl. I like it." Qrow starts to chuckle.

Before I pay Qrow any mind, I focus on the screen to see what happens next, but with Nora's unknown disorientation Weiss starts to attack in blinding succession. The several strikes appear to hit their mark, but all I take note of is Nora's ability to take each hit and attempt to counter-attack.

"What did she do?" I finally question while tearing my eyes from the screen.

"You didn't see it? She used her glyph as a mirror . . . Focused sunlight straight in the eyes."

_Resourceful . . . but a pretty dirty move. Smart too._

"Seems she's improved . . ." Her father comments. I peek at him out the very corner of my eye. Perhaps my peripheral vision is not too reliable, but I am certain that I can see him starting to smile while he watches his daughter continue to dominate the battle for the most part.

However, things take a sudden turn when Nora makes a wild spin with her hammer and manages to smack Weiss away to give herself a little bit of breathing room. Out of desperation Nora reaches into her pocket, pulling out a small, purple vial of some sort. It takes me no more than a second to realize what it is.

When I called Ren and Nora, and Weiss over to talk for a moment, I wanted to spice things up a bit for my own entertainment. With Weiss' permission and Ren's advice I asked for a single vial of purple dust. When it's set to explode it'll release a heavy amount of lightning in the immediate vicinity.

. . . or it'll trigger Nora's semblance, which was my first question when I pulled her aside.

"Didn't think she'd be using it on Weiss . . . This'll be entertaining." I lean back against the chair and fold my arms.

"Tai? What the hell did you do?" Qrow questions me, but with a tone of interest and amusement when he sees the lightning spark around Nora's body while certain parts of her outfit begin to light and cackle.

"Apparently her semblance allows her to harness and channel electricity through her muscles . . . All I did was give her a vial of purple dust."

I continue to watch the battle, smirking when Nora brings down her hammer and causes the open plains to sink into a crater. My smile shifts to a smirk, and finally to an unrestrainable chuckle at the sheer destructive power she has with each swing of her weapon. The battle takes a sloppy turn. Nora's sudden power-up forces Weiss to take cover in the trees to avoid getting caught in any blast radius.

It's then that I see the second form of her weapon: a rather hefty grenade launcher that shoots well over 6 explosives at once. Nora takes the time to aim her shot in a high arc, causing it to rainbow through the air and come down around the area Weiss disappeared in with an explosion that can almost be heard from the mansion.

"That little brat's going to set the entire place on fire!" Will inches to the edge of his chair after yelling into my ear.

"It's not like you can't replace the trees. Besides, these are Huntresses in Training like you said . . . Should have expected explosions a long time ago." Qrow counters with venomous sarcasm dripping from his mouth.

From deep within the smoke and rising flames I see a few light blue beams shoot out in a random, scattering pattern before converging on Nora. It's safe to assume Weiss is in a safe place in the ring of fire. For now the smoke will act as cover for her, but it also limits her movement until she clears an exit or jumps above the trees to get away.

Nora shows extreme impatience and recklessness. Instead of waiting for Weiss to emerge after she dodged the projectiles, she chooses to jump wildly into the air with assistance from her hammer and appears to be using the long handle of her weapon as a seat while she rises up to roughly 4 stories in the air.

As her descent begins, I expect her to change her posture to place herself in a better position to attack, but when gravity makes itself known a surprising sneak attack occurs.

The attack itself can't be pinpointed from the angle we have, but within seconds Nora's hands and legs are bound to the weapon when a minor explosion causes ice crystals to form around her limbs and weapon, locking her in that position.

When the explosions occurred there were no signs of Weiss' semblance or projectiles being launched. On the other camera feeds that surround the area there aren't any traces of someone in hiding. Knowing that whoever it is isn't within the immediate area of the battle makes it possible that only one person could have done something like that.

"Welp . . . there goes the special bullets I made for her." Qrow starts to laugh. "Kid's a good shot . . . and a smart shot too."

_Ruby . . . Where are you hiding?_

For the time being, Ruby's managed to evade the cameras set up around the area. She's possibly using her semblance to pass through the cones of vision before anybody can make out her silhouette or the temporary traces she leaves behind each time she uses her semblance.

Nora's icy bindings prove to be her final downfall. Without hesitation, Weiss forms a glyph below Nora that speeds up her already accelerating descent until the poor girl causes a crater-creating explosion.

"Well . . . looks like the kid's trying to win her bet after all. I'll start heading out." Qrow calls while he begins to walk out the door.

_She's trying to win her bet instead of help Qrow's? She either pissed off . . . or overconfident._

While Qrow and Will placed their bets . . . Weiss had her own opinion on the matter. She was less than pleased that there was a bet that revolved around her that didn't even involve her in any of the winning conditions. To fix that she jumped in with her own bet with conditions set by both Qrow and Will to assure maximum difficulty.

There are three conditions that Weiss needs to meet in order to win. Surprisingly being the last one standing is not one of them.

Condition 1: She needs to defeat either Ruby or Shun

Condition 2: She needs to hold the most victories (To secure it for sure, she needs to beat 3 people.)

Condition 3: She can't retreat from any opponent she comes across.

However, with Weiss taking out Nora, it now evens out the bet between Qrow and Will. With Weiss entering the gamble, it forced them to exclude her victories in Will's count. This means that it is still 0 – 0 between the two scoreboards, but now there's only 3 humans in the match, and for Qrow to win he needs Shun or Blake to beat any two of the other three.

"Hm . . ." I hear a mumble from my right. I turn my head and see a notepad being written on. When Will is done writing on it he passes it to me for inspection. It simply has Weiss' name written on it and a single tally mark underneath her name to mark her victory.

As explained, Weiss proceeds to indicate where her victory took place, However, instead of using the flare gun that was supplied, she chooses to use her semblance in unison with red dust to fire a blast into the air, getting the exact same result.

She then moves into the forest and gets out of sight. I check the other cameras in the area to see where she went but can't find a trace of her anywhere, leaving me under the assumption that she's hiding nearby to make sure Nora is taken out safely.

It's just shy of a minute before Qrow makes it to Nora's location and picks up the hammer-wielding ginger with little to no effort. Just before he can begin making his way back however, Weiss exits her hiding place in the forest and steps up to Qrow for a moment.

Their exchange in words lasts less than 10 seconds, and in an instant Qrow starts to walk back to the mansion with the deadweight held securely.

"Weiss is pretty strong . . . She should do well in the tournament." I whisper before turning my head to Will.

"I hear the tournament will have dust scattered along the battlegrounds . . . it will definitely give her a 'home field' advantage."

"Definitely makes it easier for her to use her semblance with an unlimited source surrounding her . . . but I wouldn't say that she needs to rely on a battlefield sprinkled in dust to win a fight."

"Of course she doesn't . . . it does give her a massive advantage. Her sister is prominent in manipulating an environment if she has the dust at her disposal."

I pause a moment and start to wonder. There's no dust surrounding her right now, but what would happen if she stockpiled her ammunition and sprinkled it into the dirt? If Weiss can manage to set up a single area that will turn into her own advantage spot, then she could easily dispose of anybody should they get lured in. The uses for her semblance are practically endless.

_. . . We need to talk about this . . . at least while Qrow is still outside._

"Will, you can't keep making decisions for her." I state rather bluntly without turning my head. He turns to look at me, taking a moment to realize where I am coming from.

"I refuse to have my daughter dating the same gender, Tai. It's that simple. It's not good for her, and I will not allow it."

" . . . You're worried about her public image, aren't you?" I begin to smirk.

"I'm worried about her decision-making and ability to think clearly when emotions will interfere with simple choices." He practically shouts after seeing my cheeky grin.

"Oh? Not over the fact that she's dating a woman? Or the fact that she's a . . . quote-unquote: Carpet Muncher?" I question him with a sarcastic tone that would make Qrow proud.

"I don't have anything else to say on the matter, Tai. My daughter made her bet, if she's capable of maintain it is now in her hands. If she wants to bring herself 6 feet under, then so be it." Will quietly stands up from his chair and begins to walk away. I take a long, deep breath and sigh while his footsteps grow faint until the mild squeak of the door is caught in my ear.

"You're quite the indecisive one, Will. I'm not sure if you're a concerned parent or a homophobe."


	26. End of The Line

_Okay, so holidays, family, and all of that other stuff kept me busy for a bit. I should've had this chapter done like 3 days ago. Sorry for that :(_

_Anyway, here is chapter 26, I hope you guys will drop your opinion of Sebastian's semblance, which will also explain his silent entry and appearances around Schnee Manor._

_On top of that, I wasn't really sure how to describe the 'Catacombs' in this chapter. So sorry if the imagery isn't as strong in that regard D:_

_And finally . . . _

**_"We'll break his legs!" - Nora Valkyrie_**

**_\- Orders carried out by Yang Xiao Long_**

* * *

**Chapter 26 – End of The Line  
**

"The shot came from the North. Have fun." He whispers to me while he secures Nora over his shoulder.

I take a moment to digest what was just said. While he is already walking away I pick up on the fact that he's referring to Ruby when he mentions the shot.

_Wait, did he just sell out his niece?_

I decide to think more on the matter later. I need to start making my way towards Ruby and take care of her as quickly as possible. I hate to admit it, but out of the other three that are still present, she is the smallest threat to me.

"Look how low you've stooped, Weiss . . . Ready to take down your girlfriend without hesitation. She'd probably hesitate to fire at me at first too . . . I hope she doesn't get mad at me."

I take a long, slow inhale while I debate on what to do. Should I really rush to Ruby, or should I wait for her to be distracted with somebody else and find her by the echo of her gunshots?

Either way there's not that much I can do in terms of dealing with Shun and Yang. Shun's too fleet footed for me . . . but she's more prone to getting baited by her arrogance. Yang is the same way, but I don't need to fight Yang just yet. Right now I'm focused on taking out either Shun or Ruby in order to get a second condition of this blasphemous bet out of the way. In an ideal scenario I take out Ruby, leaving Blake and Shun to handle Yang. That would make them an ideal backup should I get defeated at one point.

Thinking back on the situation, it's because of Ruby's first shot that I ended up coming across Nora. What was it that Ruby was firing at before? Wherever she is, there's no chance of her having a view beneath the trees considering it took Nora going airborne for her to even attempt a shot. That means she's in a high place. High enough that she can't see through the trees, yet low enough that she can't see through the leaves to take any other shots.

If Mr. Qrow was correct and her shot came from the North, then there is only one place that I can think of where she can be. To the North, nearing the end of the property is a mountainous setup. There are several caves and cliffs, making the mountain structure turn into something of a catacomb once entered. It's hardly a problem for a Huntress to scale, but what I need to worry about is if Ruby has already plotted out the area inside in case someone found her. If she's rely on sniper tactics, then she may very well have a luring plan ready.

I try to think and debate on what Ruby could be doing in that area. More importantly I'm trying to think of what residence is over there for her to use as a base of sorts.

_I think there's a cabin over there . . . but it's small and hardly suitable compared to the other structures . . . Unless . . ._

I bite and grit my teeth. While I pace towards the North I wait until I come across one of the several cameras that are scattered throughout the area. It's bolted to one of the tree trunks, nestled in the split between two branches. I stand in close proximity of it and begin to make gestures until the red light on the rather standard camera changes to green, indicating that it's picking up audio.

"Father, how dare you give my girlfriend the worst possible structure to make herself comfortable in. After this I will be taking MY GIRLFRIEND and will take the earliest departure to Patch to fetch her belongs, then to Vale to get away from you as soon as possible." I scream. Without a second thought I hold up my right hand to form a glyph that shoots out a small projectile at the camera to instantly destroy it.

_I will not have my girlfriend treated poorly in my own home._

With anger and a lack of clean judgement I form a glyph below me that I use to propel myself above the trees before forming another to land on. From here I can see the mountainside that Ruby is most likely residing at. Directly behind me, but a deep distance away is the Mansion itself. To the right are the two towers that mirror each other. I recall hearing explosions from over there earlier, but that must have been Yang or Shun considering I found Nora relatively far from the blast, and I highly doubt that she could cover ground that quickly (unless she was riding an Ursa).

I make the mistake of staying above the treeline for too long. Within the couple of seconds I've been looking around I hear an echoing shot that forces me to turn my head. The shot doesn't come directly at me, but instead it makes its impact with the glyph I am currently standing on and completely shatters it, forcing me to form another and make my way back down into the safety of the forest.

_. . . That was a warning shot._

I continue to make my way towards Ruby's location. If I want to be able to rest easy I need to get her out of the match as quickly as possible. It'll take me a while to make it to her, although I do have a means of speeding up my travel.

I begin to move my hands in a few specific gestures to trigger the glyph I desire. The white glyph that appears beneath me practically levitates me from the dirt floor below. Without hesitation I start to skate with the use of my semblance. I move past the trees with ease and grace thanks to my semblance.

From the location of my victory over Nora to the hillside structure it's just under a kilometer in terms of displacement. Since I am overly cautious, my trip ends up being roughly two kilometers thanks to my attempt to circle around and come in from the West as opposed to the South.

From the thinning tree lines I can see the multi-leveled mass of mountainside paths, on top of several tunnels that appear near each pathway to allow you inside the structure. If ventured properly, one tunnel can lead you out of any of the other ones if you take the time to explore and map your location properly.

I have little interest with heading inside since I am certain Ruby is somewhere on the south side of the area. Going into a maze and getting lost will only make it less likely of me finding her when I finally emerge.

I activate my semblance again, this time forming a glyph below me that I use to elevate myself to approximately two stories. As expected there's a pathway that I am able to jump onto and follow it around the large structure. The path is made of dirt and grass with rails on the other side to protect anyone from falling. On the other side are large cave entrances that I see sporadically.

After pacing up along the rocky structure I eventually come across a backpack hanging over the edge of one of the handrails. Knowing Ruby she placed her belongings and extra ammunition there to grab while she is moving. It's something typical among snipers. What I need to do now is find out where she is. If I were a sniper I'd hide myself along a crack in the wall. Somewhere where I can get comfortable and be below where my stash is. If I am above my stash, then it requires me dropping down and getting closer to my opponent, thus giving them a better shot. If I need to climb higher, then I will be moving away from them as well as making their shot more difficult.

"First thing's first . . ." I walk over to the backpack and remove it from the railing. Instead I look for a space between two large rocks to hide it in between them. If she starts to run, then at least her ammo supply will be limited until she gets another drop. If she tries to get another drop then I can engage her again and keep her ammunition supply dry.

"If I engage her . . . I need to keep her in an area where her mobility is low. I could always . . . no, that wouldn't work. An explosion to keep the terrain uneven . . . no, she can jump and use her gun's recoil. Hm . . ." I pause, pondering on another method I can use to cut down Ruby's mobility. "That could work . . . If I get her to use her bullets first."

I immediately begin to look through Ruby's bag. As expected it has ammunition, but also has several hollow shells with several vials of dust with them. I assume she must be putting the dust into each shell depending on what she feels is needed. She won't be getting near this bag anytime soon, so simply borrowing her supply of blue dust wouldn't hurt.

I take out every vial of blue dust I am able to find, totally to about 4. As carefully as I can I begin to sprinkle the dust down along the pathway, doing my best to blend it in with the dirt, but not spread it too thin to assure my semblance will cause a thick enough layer of ice to form. I even go as far as to borrow a vial of red dust to place it down near the entrance of the nearby cave mouth. If I execute everything correctly, Ruby will be coming up here to retrieve her bag that she will not find. In turn I'll trigger my semblance to ice the ground and make her immobile. Her only viable escape route will be the tunnel which I will then trigger the red dust and explode. It's simple, quick, and will be very effective.

"Okay . . . that should do it. Now I just need to lure her." I take a deep breath and force myself to look at the bigger picture. If I win this, then my father will be forced by his word to leave us alone, and equally respect her as a precious friend of the family. My father is stubborn and very rude at times, but I need to commend him for the fact that if he puts his word on something, then he is definitely going to keep it. He is a businessman, and a handshake to him is stronger than any legal contract.

I walk towards the edge of the cliff where her backpack originally resided. I lean forward to peek over and without a second thought I flip over the edge while also corkscrewing. My acrobatic motion brings me to an upright position as I fall, but also has me facing the Cliffside. During my descent I can spot the long, red barrel of Crescent Rose peeking out from a large gap in the stone wall. Without forming a glyph below me I begin to fire next to, and below the opening in the wall to give Ruby a sudden fright. The several blasts that make their impact cause a large screen of smoke to form which Ruby eventually makes her exit from by running up the cliffside with the use of her gun to keep her accelerating up the steep slope.

I finally form a glyph below me and use it climb the rock wall in pursuit of my current target. As expected she is looking for her bag that I took the liberty of moving, but in a panic she activates her semblance and darts into the cave before I have a chance to activate either of the two traps I laid out.

"I swear…the one time she doesn't excel at wasting time. For Dust's sake!" I bring myself back onto the walkway to head towards the tunnel. Just as I reach the entrance I can hear the echoing shots of Crescent Rose, but none of those shots come in my direction. Whatever she's doing in there must be a setup of some sorts, or possibly a lure.

At least, I assume that's what she's doing until I hear a very distinct, unforgettable growl from within the cave. There's no mistake that the sound I just heard is a Beowolf. A Beowolf that isn't very happy as well as cloaked in the shadows of a catacomb. A Beowolf is not much of a threat to take down, but the fact that it can't be seen could cause problems.

From memory I recall the cave being dark, damp and extremely humid inside. Just as the sound of small creatures are common when outside at night, the sound of dripping water and the echoing sounds of loud splashes were common while moving inside. The last time I was in here I was roughly 10 years old. I can recall how easily I got lost and eventually ended up screaming and crying for someone to come find me. It didn't take long for Winter to realize I was missing and immediately came to search the area. I've always had a fascination with the catacombs, so obviously it was the first placed she looked.

I continue my way into the cave, waiting until the shining light of day begins to fade before I use the glow of my glyphs to light the walls of the cave while I continue to walk. After half a minute of walking I come across a split that leads left and right. I debate which way would be the one to lead me to Ruby and the possible hidden Beowolf. However, just before I make my choice I notice one of Ruby's bullet cases for her Crescent Rose laying on the floor.

I pick it up and realize how lightweight it is, meaning it is completely hollow on the inside. I recall our first actual date in Beacon. The trail of cookies she used to mark her path were something she had an abundance of at the time. This time her abundance could have been empty shells.

I take the path where I initially find the bullet and continue venturing deeper into the giant maze. Surprisingly I see a brightening light at the end of the tunnel. In a rush I get rid of the glyphs along the walls of the cave and instead form a glyph below me to propel myself forward. On exit I find an open area lit by several sconce mounted torches. A closer inspection and each one is a simple piece of wood that was possibly ignited with the use of red dust. What stands out to me is the fact that there are five tunnels leading out of this area (including the one I entered from). The torches are placed as two on each side of every entrance, making for a total of ten. What I notice immediately are the two torches near my entrance are both burnt out, as well as two torches mounted near one of the tunnels to my left.

"Great. I'm on a wild chase to find my girlfriend and a flea-bitten Grimm that is somewhere on her tail. How far is she?" I question/rant to myself while I make a point of grabbing one of the pieces of burning wood. To avoid possibly getting burned by it while it continues to crackle and spit cinders, I use my semblance to hold it in the center through the use of one of my glyphs. With a torch at my side it makes it much easier to see while I walk down the tunnel with the two unlit torches. If I had to guess, I would say that Ruby's semblance caused her to blow out the flames.

Since the initial growl I heard while I was outside I haven't heard anything since then. Ruby could be outside already with the Beowolf. While I am not so much worried about the fact that she has a Beowolf to deal with, I'm more worried at how hard it will be to track her again if I can't pick up on her trail.

"I can't believe I'm doing this . . . I don't really have a choice."

I hold out my right hand in front of me and begin to focus on making a very dense glyph. I do my best to expand it wide enough to block my entire body should a strike come in front of me, and when I am satisfied with its size I take in a loud breath to call on someone who would be out of earshot under normal circumstances.

_Mirror_

_Tell me something_

_Tell me, who's the loneliest . . . of all?_

I close my eyes to focus my aura into the glyph, and after I hear a small shuffle I open them with a smile to see that I got the attention I wanted.

"This isn't the coziest abode to be called to. How may I help you, Weiss?" I look on as the warm grin and red eyes of Sebastian greet me.

Thanks to Sebastian's semblance, it makes it very easy to call him from within the Manor. However, while outside he taught me a method I can use to make his semblance capable of getting him to me in any situation.

His semblance allows him to travel through reflections. Obviously it needs to be a reflection big enough for him to fit through. Scattered throughout the Mansion are large mirrors. He can get into almost any room thanks to the mirrors, or even areas with marble floor. As long as it can reflect, he can use it to trigger his semblance. He taught me to make my glyph just a little denser to give it the reflective properties of a mirror, making for a method to summon him just as I have now.

The song I sing, however . . . he's capable of picking up voices when they're near a reflection. Whenever he hears me sing, he makes certain to check up on me.

"I'm a little lost in here, Sebastian. I need to get out of here and find Ruby as quickly as possible. You have any idea where to go?" I ask, cutting straight to the point.

"Continue straight. If you come across a fork, turn left. If the commotion I heard earlier is her . . . then she's Southeast of here. Is there anything else you need?" He asks with that familiar smile of his.

"Actually…near the mouth of the cave….The North end . . . I have blue dust sprinkled near the entrance if you have trouble identifying it. I hid a bag between two rocks. If you could bring it to Ruby's quarters without any of the cameras spotting you, I'd appreciate it."

"I'll get right to it. You be careful." He leans down to bring himself eye level with me. He reaches his right hand out and drops it lightly on the top of my head before giving it a very slight ruffle. He then stands upright and begins to walk in the opposite direction he directed me, possibly to follow the path I've already taken so he can find the entrance I used with less difficulty.

_I only asked for brief directions . . . That's not cheating, right?_

I continue to walk forward, waiting for the possible fork that Sebastian mentioned but it never appears. Instead I find myself getting to the exit of the cave after roughly half an hour of walking. The exit I've been guided to is surrounded by thick trees and tall grass that appears to have been cut very poorly and unevenly. There's no doubt that it's Ruby's work. Anybody else would have quickly been fired for doing such a poor job, even if it is an unused pathway.

I debate which direction to go, but soon enough I hear the loud, distinct sounds of a helicopter making its rounds above. I quickly follow the sounds, eventually leading me to a clearing that has a large, cabin built with solid oak. It looks very typical with a window on each wall, a triangular roof and a small awning above the front patio.

The helicopter is almost directly above the house when it starts to enter a hover. Soon enough a compartment in the bottom opens and a large box is dropped out that is lowered safely with the use of a parachute. I watch on from near one of the trees, still partially hidden by tall grass. The large package hits the ground with a thud, landing between me and the cabin. Without a moment to lose the helicopter takes off without confirming that the drop is even recovered.

_Is that an ammo drop?_

I watch on as eventually Ruby leaves the cabin with her Crescent Rose over her shoulder. I take distinct notice of how tightly her left arm is pressed to her torso. I can see the signs of pain on her face while she moves over to the drop. It's not hard to tell that she exhausted herself with her semblance, and quite possibly took a couple of hits from the Beowolf before she was able to get away successfully. I'm sure she took the time to execute it, but it appears it didn't go down without much of a fight. Unfortunately, as easy as a Beowolf is to kill, it still had an environmental advantage. An advantage that could only be overcome by a Faunus to be honest.

I look on as Ruby lowers to one knee with her back towards me. She carefully uses her right hand to begin shuffling through the box to check its contents. To deal with her while she's injured like this is completely against my fight etiquette, but at the same time this is no time to allow my personal pride and feelings to get in the way.

With a heavy heart I stand up and quietly step out of the forest. I walk up towards her, doing well to keep my footsteps quiet. The closer I get, the louder I can hear the shuffling of the objects inside her ammunition drop. I step directly behind her and place a firm hand on her right shoulder.

She practically jumps and looks over her shoulder to the sight of me standing there with a large frown. Her surprised look changes to a smile that then changes to a frown when she realizes the situation the two of us are in.

"You caught up to me, huh?" Ruby starts to move to her feet. I quickly reach down and place my hands underneath her arms to help lift her up.

"Wasn't too easy . . . Wait 'till your uncle sees how banged up you are. He won't be happy." I joke, trying to lighten the mood.

"I think my dad will be the unhappy one. Uncle Qrow will just compliment me on getting 'war scars'." She starts to giggle but then grips her abdomen when her laughing causes a moderate amount of pain to shoot through her body.

"Let's get you fixed up first . . . I swear you're just as reckless as your sister." I start to wrap my arm around Ruby's waist, but first off I remove her weapon from her back. She gives me a look of disapproval, but my own gaze brings her to break her glare. "Sorry, Dolt . . . We're still enemies for now."

I proceed to lean Ruby against me to lead her into the cabin. Inside is somewhat roomy considering what the place is. It contains three rooms: a bathroom, a living room and kitchen combination, and of course a bedroom with two twin-sized beds. Within the living room are very oddly decorated furniture with multi-colored cushions with some odd florescent designs. The framing on the large sofa is completely wood, and the glass tabletop in front of it is also held up by a wooden frame. Beneath the table and sofa is a bear skin rug, and in front of the sofa is a fireplace.

The cabin lacks any real electrical devices, and instead runs on simple things such as battery-powered clocks, or stoves that run on natural gas as opposed to more efficient electric-hybrids. I carefully move Ruby towards the sofa, making sure to sit her down comfortably while I go into the bathroom to find the first aid kit. The bathroom is rather small, only having enough room for the essentials such as the toilet, stand-in shower, and sink. The bathroom has wood-decorated walls, a single window in the far side of the door and a moderately sized mirror above the sink.

I reach out to the mirror to open it and find the first aid kit behind it. I carefully take the small box and bring it into the living room. Ruby's sitting in the same position I sat her in. She's still cradling her abdomen which makes me worry just how bad it is.

"Did it cut you deep?" I ask while I kneel down in front of her and place the first aid kit on the glass tabletop behind me.

"Not that bad . . . I just don't have enough aura to heal it."

"Alright. Let's get your aura taken care of first." I turn to the kit and open it. Inside is a tightly wrapped roll of bandages. Next to it are several disinfectants, band-aids, and a syringe that I take an immediate interest in. I grasp the covered needle and search for a label on the side that indicates if it's an aura shot or not. Eventually I find a small text that confirms what it is and immediately I remove the cap, exposing the sharp, thin metal tip.

I use my semblance to form a small glyph that I place the needle on while I go through the kit to find a small alcohol pad so I can clean a spot on Ruby's arm to give her the shot. I make quick work of rolling up her left sleeve to expose her deltoid to me. When I am done cleaning her skin I drop the swap and pick up the syringe. It takes me a moment to see Ruby eyeball the small, sharp object, then turn her head away as I bring it near. A fearless Grimm fighter she is, but it seems my little Dolt has a fear of the common Hospital tool.

"Relax. I'll make sure Sebastian gives you a fresh batch of homemade cookies when you get back to the Mansion. Just bear with this for now, okay?" I try to offer my sweetest tone to her, and I'm answered with a nod. She still keeps her head turned while I carefully inject her with the stimulant. I then press a small button on the back of the syringe that makes the needle retract harmlessly from Ruby's shoulder.

"It'll take a while for that to kick in fully, but you should start to close up." I place the syringe into the first aid kit with the mental note to discard it properly. I then take out the bandages let out a loud sigh. I look from her to her right arm that is still cradling her abdomen. It pains me to think just how bad her injury could be, but what hurts more is the fact that I ended up guiding her into that cave. If I was quick enough to close off the entrance, or even smart enough to know how fast she can move, then she may not be in this condition. Ultimately, my plan of a harmless subduing turned into a deadly game of cat and mouse with a Grimm.

"Alright . . . I need you to lift your shirt, Ruby." My request gets her to blush. Almost immediately I flick her on the forehead with the thoughts I can imagine she's getting. "Dolt! I need to see how bad it is."

I can tell that she's worried about how much it may hurt to take away the pressure she's been applying. I stand up and give her a pat on the head to reassure her.

"Take your time. I'm going to go fire a flare, okay?" I start to leave the room but take a final peek at her to assure she's okay. I step outside and a decent distance from the cabin before I aim Myrtenaster straight in the air. I change its chamber to the red dust vials and fire a single burst into the air to mark where we are. We are in one of the furthest areas from the Mansion, so a delayed response is most likely unavoidable.

When I go back into the small dwelling I see Ruby is no longer babying her torso, and instead is holder her shirt high enough to show the four-claw gash going diagonally across her body. As she said it isn't anything too bad, but the fact that her aura was depleted made it appear worse than what it really is.

I move back to my previous spot to kneel in front of her once again. This time I look for the end of her cape to folder it over a couple of times and move the red cloth to her lips. She looks at me in complete confusion, so I explain my action while cringing somewhat.

"You may want to bite on it . . . I need to make sure the wounds are clean."

The color in her usual rosy cheeks completely disappears at my explanation. A frown covers her lips as well as mine while she opens her mouth to take the cloth and gently bite onto it. I can easily see the worry spread throughout her body in the form of heavier, quicker pants, on top of her clenching hands I can see through my peripheral vision.

I turn back to the kit, this time pulling out a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and a few cotton balls. I uncap the small bottle and place one of the small pieces of cotton directly on the bottle before giving a few, brief flips of the bottle to get the alcohol on it. My eyes shift back to Ruby's wound, then up to the fearful crimsoness who appears to know all too well how much this can possibly sting.

To think someone who fights Grimm for a living, gets sent flying through trees and everything else of the sorts can be this worried about the stinging of having an injury disinfected. It reminds me that without our aura . . . we are all fragile creatures that wouldn't stand a chance in this chaotic world.

"Okay," I say while I put the bottle on the table and bring the cotton close to her injuries, "I'll try to be as careful as I can . . . just don't move."

Almost in sync with her, I take in a slow, deep inhale. I reach up , starting just under her left breast with one of the larger marks. The moment I touch the alcohol drenched ball to the very edges of the wound she bites onto her cape and releases a couple of muffled whines. The gashes are already scabbing over and have little chance of scarring if her aura replenishes enough to speed up the healing process. The last thing either of us need is for her to have as many scars as Fox from Team CFVY.

I continue to trace down the top of the cut, doing my very best to not deviate from the ridged path like I'm drawing near the lines on some sort of twisted coloring book. Once I get to the end of the cut I then trace up the underside to get back to my original location. After cleaning the first cut I can see Ruby's still in pain, but has somewhat adapted to it. Her breathing is a little slower than earlier, but her torso is constantly flexed.

I begin to move to the second of the four cuts. This one is slightly longer than the previous one, but it is also thinner. I discard the current cotton ball I am using and douse a second one in alcohol before I continue. This time around I don't get as much of a pained reaction from her, but I do notice a very faint glow forming around her cuts. It appears her aura is starting to jumpstart her healing process after the injection coaxed it.

With her aura returning I assure to finish up with her other three gashes as quickly as possible before the wounds begin to close up. For now I expect that she'll have the claw marks for a couple of days, but at the very least she won't feel any pain or movement restrictions from them. There's also the fact that her father could probably take care of her injuries without much of a problem.

"Ruby, how were you out of aura? I doubt you wasted that much aura when you ran from me . . . and quite honestly I doubt a Beowolf could do enough damage for this," I gesture to her cuts, "to be possible."

"Well . . . Blake found me. I got a few hits on her, but then she used her semblance and started moving behind the trees. She started to use her clone to lure my attention to another tree while she would move away as well. She's um . . . she's using dust in her Gambol Shroud."

_First Nora has dust, then Ruby . . . and now Blake? I doubt this is a coincidence. What can Yang do with dust? Or Shun? This is getting more annoying by the minute._

"How long ago was that when I found you?" I move to sit down next to her. She's resting against the left arm of the sofa while I lay against the right arm. On instinct I bring my left leg onto the sofa and move it behind her while I keep my right leg touching the ground. Without a word between the two of us she moves to lay herself against me with her head resting on my left shoulder.

"Not that long. I remember shooting at Shun, then at Nora . . . then I put on the silencer Uncle Qrow got me and ended up getting seen by Blake. We fought for a while . . . she had to back retreat and slid something into her Gambol Shroud. I guess it was dust or something, cause when she used her semblance it exploded and sent me flying back. When I was able to get up and see the debris clear, she was gone. I was gonna chase her, but I felt like it would be walking into a trap."

_Wait, She has a silencer? Why wasn't she using it the entire time, then?_

"Sounds like Blake to have something like that planned. You were smart not to follow . . . Why did you only have your silencer on while you were dealing with Blake?" I question after a short pause.

"Well . . ." Ruby turns her head and plants a gentle kiss on my cheek. The surprise display of affection makes my face flush. I can feel the very gentle breeze of cool air on the spot she kissed me. "It felt weird. It took away some of Crescent Rose's kick, and I'm really used to how she kicks back at me. Kind of reminds me of how you scold me a little, too."

I give Ruby a puzzled look, confused at to how one thing has anything to do with the other. What in her mind could possible make her compare me to her weapon? I simply chalk up her words to being something of a compliment since she holds her weapon very close to her, and decide not to delve into the meaning of her analogy between Crescent Rose and I.

"Every time you scold me . . . you're always very firm and hold your ground that you're right. But I always know that you're there for me and I can trust you all the time. Plus, I have you helping me take each and every shot."

_I'm helping her take every shot?_

It's then that I remember the design sitting within the scope of her Crescent Rose. Acting as the crosshairs for her new scope is the my emblem. To think I would forget something like that is both shameful and embarrassing to me.

"I don't scold you, first off. I only give you notable tips to help adjust your bad habits." I defend.

"Psh . . . There is nothing bad about eating cookies."

"Of course there isn't . . ." I wait a moment and flick Ruby in the back of the head, "Aside from that fact that you'll gain a tremendous amount of weight, go through a heavy sugar crash, and with how much you eat them you may go through withdrawals should you lack the lien to get them. But aside from that I suppose that they're perfectly fine."

My explanation creates a long moment of silence between the two of us. Within that time there's a trace of footsteps that can be heard. Soon enough there's a heavy knocking at the door with an easily identifiable voice to accompany it.

"Weiss, Ruby . . . you two alive in there?" Mister Qrow calls out. There's something a little different from his tone, however. He sounds more sluggish and slightly unclear with his mannerisms. "Come on, I just bumped into a Beowolf and I would enjoy a nice seat."

"We're here." I call out. Mister Qrow pushes the door open and looks directly at me with half-opened eyes. With his gaze on me I try to pinpoint what feels so off about him. His posture is different, and the more playful attitude he seems to maintain is switched with one of clear unamusement,

"Next time you sneak up on my niece, give her the courtesy of letting her go down fighting. It's a sucky way to go . . . without a fight and knowing you would lose if there were to be one." He walks in front of the sofa and pushes aside the opened first aid kit before taking a seat on the glass tabletop. "This sucks."

"It really wasn't a big deal, Uncle." Ruby mumbles under her breath

"Are you okay, Mister Qrow?" I ask with genuine concern. Ruby readjusts herself against me so she can face her uncle as well as lower her top now that her wounds are cleansed.

"Not in the slightest." He brings his right hand up to brush his grey and black hair back, getting whatever stray strands go over his eyes. "I do my best to stay sober since my nieces were having company over . . . 'First impressions mean a lot' was all Tai would tell me. But your father," He gestures to me with his right hand, then replants it on his lap, "he manages to bring me out of my happy place to the point that I just needed to find myself something hard to drink. I'm glad I brought my flask with me."

Ruby and I exchange a brief stare. She seems completely unphased by his current state, leading me to believe that he is usually with a drink in his hand, or in his bloodstream as it may be. Regardless of his state, I still agree that my father can be a very unbearable person. Quite frankly he'd have a fit if he saw Ruby and I resting like this.

"Anyway. I'm gonna stay here for a bit and let it get dark. I'll take Ruby back in a bit. As for you," he gestures to me before taking another sip from his silver flask. When he tilts the canister I notice the emblem on it. To me it resembles an eye or wing with a gear in the center, although perhaps there is more to it that I'm unaware of. "You need to get back out there. No breaks unless you're in your own safe spot."

I give him a nod of my head and begin to slide Ruby forward so I can get myself off of the sofa. Before she decides to move and make things easy on me, she makes a point of turning her head and giving me an unhidden kiss with her uncle in clear view of us. I let out a muffled scream of embarrassment into the kiss, but all Ruby does is hold herself steady until she is satisfied with the amount of affection given.

"Kick their asses, Princess." Ruby says to me with a raised thumb of encouragement.

"That's a given, Dolt. Don't ever do that in front of your uncle again! It's rude." I shout at her while trying to avoid my cheeks flushing. It's Mister Qrow however, that decides to jump into the conversation and mark his opinion on it all.

"Weiss-o serious? Kid, I'm not as much of a stiff as Taiyang. Just keep your clothes on and we'll keep our relationship professional" I fight to stiffen a giggle. Especially when he winks my way and gives his eyebrows a wag in a joking flirt attempt that Ruby doesn't take too kindly to.

"She's still a minor, Uncle Qrow! She's mine!" Ruby's possessive nature makes its appearance known. The small crimsoness turns herself around to wrap her arms around my stomach and practically bearhug me in an embrace that can rival her sister's.

"Yeah, yeah. She'll be 18 what, two years before you? She'll have to avoid going to jail for those two years...so guess who won't be gettin' any?" Her uncle gives a twisted smirk. After his point is made he leans back and takes another few sips from his flask while I work on prying Ruby's arms off of me to make my way out of the cabin.

"And to think that's a legendary Huntsman." I mumble while I walk outside. my words are in no way an insult. To think he can be so down to earth, yet also have a few social qualities on top of that is surprising and impressive.

I make sure to close the door behind me and look around at the vast green grass. Beyond the grass are the tall trees that refuse to let me see anything passed the first few. I remain underneath the awning to ponder where I will go. I do need a drop to refuel my dust, so getting to a safe location and calling in will be the best idea.

I take a moment to look into the sky. The sun is setting fast, meaning it will definitely be pitch black by the time I make it to my location. I'm low on all of my dust, so a confrontation would not be ideal. I start to make my way through the forest, keeping an idea of which direction to go in thanks to the directions of the shadows and in the small gaps of leaves that allow me to see which way is west thanks to the setting sun.

It's not long before it gets dark as I predicted and the visibility around me is near nonexistent thanks to the trees and leaves covering the stars from illuminating my vision. I continue to follow in the general direction, waiting for some form of landmark that marks where I am.

The sounds of the forest creatures begins to fill my ears. The sweet songs of the night remind me to keep calm. A little more walking and I'll find out where I am, there's no debating that. Eventually I come across a clearing in the forest. A set of four caged tennis courts that my father had made to use as a persuasion tool for some of the other high-class businessmen he deals with. Expensive wines, card games, tennis courts, there isn't anything my father doesn't have access to that he can use to win over his competition, or make future business partners.

From here I know my way back. If I'm able to remain on a perfectly straight path, then I'm less than five minutes away at my standard walking pace. At least, I wish I would be making it there in five minutes.

"Little lost Cinderella? It's almost midnight." An arrogant voice calls from over my shoulder. To think of all people it's _her_ that found me.

* * *

_heheh . . . .You read that chapter title and later though 'oh, it's end of the line for Ruby' . . . Well . . . double meanings are something I like to do. Now . . . who is it that just found Weiss?_


	27. The Unseen Threat

_Welp, here's chapter 27. A couple of twists here.  
_

_Happy New Year to everyone :D _

_and for the hispanics!: Happy 3 Kings Day :3_

_So, there are a few little twists to enjoy. One of them you will question right away, the second is towards the end of the chapter._

_As always, leave a review (I've been getting minimal recently v.v :'(_

_Anyway, Enjoy!_

* * *

_**Chapter 27 – The Unseen Threat**_

_Readjusting scope._

_Target is eight-hundred and fifteen meters away._

_Wind is blowing North-Northwest at five miles an hour._

_Bullet displacement on arrival will be ten meters to the right._

_Target is moving south . . . compensation minimal._

_Secondary target is stationary._

_Visual obstructions imminent . . . increasing zoom and changing to infrared._

I can see. Nearly a kilometer away in the dim moonlight is my target, but I can see. My crosshair drifts in front while I work on managing every single variable that needs to be taken into account. The direction they are walking, the direction the wind is blowing, the distance between myself and my target, and of course where I plan on hitting them.

I'm prepared to finally open fire. The chilly breeze continues to harass the back of my neck and my tightly bandaged sides and back. My stomach is more concealed from the cold assault, only because of the fact that I'm lying prone at the edge of a small, grassy hill. I can see a clearing in the direction she's walking. Soon enough I'll have the shot I need. I won't miss. I can't miss. No matter what happens I'll hit my target, it's that simple.

Up until now, I've kept myself as relaxed as possible. I've slouched, gotten into a more comfortable and forgiving position to let the itching of the bandages let up. Now that my shot will be taken any moment I pull the rifle butt of Crescent Rose into my left shoulder. The rough ridges of my Sweetheart dig through my clothing and press against my skin. It's become second nature to place her on that exact spot – complete muscle memory.

My left hand runs over the cold, metal curves of Crescent Rose, caressing her underbelly to work my way to her sensitive trigger. I inhale heavily and look through my scope once more. Through the opaque crosshair I watch my mark carefully. Every few seconds they become obstructed by tree trunks and leaves, but I keep the spacious area ahead in mind. It's where I plan on taking my shot since there are minimal obstructions ahead.

I get to the point where I can feel my heartbeat deep within my chest. Every throb and pulse that comes in pairs begins to travel through my body until I can feel the same pulse enter my thumbs. My left thumb wanders along the backside of Crescent Rose while my right palm gently runs over her shaft and barrel.

"We can do this, Sweetheart. We're an unbeatable team."

I smile to her and allow my index finger to tickle her trigger. I can never get over her glisten in the faint moonlight, or her beautiful melody when she releases and kicks at me. The mild soreness I'm used to getting in my shoulder is forever etched into my skin in the form of a very mild callus that sits between my deltoid and neck. The exact spot I always place the ridged, smooth rifle butt of my Sweetheart whenever I'm going to take a shot like this. It's one thing to take a quick shot from mid-range, but right now I am at a distance that requires the most careful of calculations.

_She's there . . . now's the time._

I inch my index finger up to lightly smack the safety just above her trigger before moving it back down to trail over the crescent curve of her tickle spot. I tilt my head to the left to bring my left eye behind the scope. I keep both eyes open for now while I search for my target through the scope as well as checking if anything in the vicinity looks suspicious enough to spot with my naked eye.

Just as I am ready to pull the trigger she stops. Immediately I begin to pan around to see what could have disturbed her movement. This is definitely not her destination, and there shouldn't be anything of interest in that area. It doesn't take long for me to see that a second target has appeared . . . things just got a little complicated, but I'm getting ahead of myself aren't I?

* * *

**(Earlier)**

"You're the worst Uncle Qrow! She's mine!" I lift my right leg up and kick it out at him. He only lifts his own leg up to block the kick with his knee before continuing to drink from his flask.

"Please, she's not my type. I still need to ask out that tall, sexy, blonde professor of yours." It takes me a moment, but I remember the promise he made if Yang were to actually be able to date someone more than a week. Now Uncle Qrow has to ask out Professor Goodwitch, and I doubt that's going to sit too well with her.

"So, when are we heading back?" I question him. Instead of answering me he picks up the used aura syringe and throws it needle-first into a crack above the fireplace. Surprisingly I hear the distinct sound of glass shattering before Uncle Qrow looks back at me with a loud sigh.

"You're not going back." He says very bluntly.

"Wait, what? But I lost. Weiss-"

"Didn't finish off a wounded enemy and instead helped them recover." Uncle Qrow points over his right shoulder with his thumb. "That was a camera. Will was practically blowing out my eardrum when he saw 'his precious daughter being some carpet muncher's private servant.' Do you have any idea how much of a pain in the ass it is having to hear that on top of him badmouthing someone else just because they're a Faunus? Let me tell you, it stresses every ounce of patience I have. Makes me wonder why I still consider him a friend."

"So. . . What is it that I'm doing then?" I ask Uncle Qrow, trying my best to understand the situation while he rants on about Weiss' racist and homophobic father.

"Well, while I disagree with him about the whole servant thing, I do have to like his proposition to teach his daughter a lesson in the field. It's practically teaching someone to swim by pushing them into a pool." He snickers. I watch as Uncle Qrow fiddles through the first aid box until he finds the tightly wound up bandages. "Anyway, stand up so I can wrap you. You're going back out as quickly as possible . . . I'm almost dry over here."

There's not a doubt in my head that Uncle Qrow's talking about his flask being empty when he mentions that he's 'almost dry'.

I follow his order and work myself to my feet. My wounds don't hurt anymore, but they do have that weird liquid forming over them that'll make my wound scab over eventually When I stand up Uncle Qrow takes interest in looking at the large gashes with a growing smile on his face.

"That thing got you good, huh? This is why you'll always be the amateur with a scythe compared to me." He starts to uncoil the bandages to wrap them around my waist while I roll my eyes from his comment.

"EVERYONE's an amateur compared to you, Uncle Qrow. That's hardly fair!" I debate, but instead of answering me he pulls hard on the bandages after the fifth wrap, forcing me to wince and pound my fist into his shoulder. My physical response only makes him snicker.

"That's not true. Tai can whoop me good on his best day. You haven't cringed from seeing an asswhoopin' until you've seen his Dempsey Roll. That thing is just . . . ugh, my ribs hurt remembering the last time." Uncle Qrow moves his left hand over his torso for a moment, then quickly reverts his full attention to mummifying my abdomen. "Anyway, Will figured the only way to teach a proper lesson is to have the person she couldn't finish off be the one to turn into the hunter. I'm sure you can see where this is going."

"So . . . Because Weiss didn't follow the rules and defeat me like she's supposed to . . . I'm still in and have to make her my primary target?" I sigh while I follow along. To be honest, I'm just as guilty as Weiss is. I had two occasions where I had a shot on her but instead of taking either of them, I chose to target Nora and Weiss' glyph.

"That sums it up pretty much." Uncle Qrow yanks on the bandages after another couple of wraps to tighten them. Soon enough he's satisfied with his job and goes on to break the bandages from the rest of the roll before finding a piece of metal in the first aid kit to lock it in place. "Look, I have no clue where she's headed, but we do know that wherever she's staying it has to be southeast. That's where all the other bases are. So what do you do? You head east. Just move east and keep watching the south until you spot her. If you're confident you can even move ahead of her after you spot her and find yourself somewhere comfy to perch. But . . . this time be the _**smart**_ sniper and move immediately after your shot. So, y'know . . . it's not so easy to track you down afterwards. You got a semblance for a reason, kid. Now get out of here."

I don't say another word to Uncle Qrow aside from a polite thank you for the bandaging. However, when I open up the door to leave after getting Crescent Rose, the backpack I thought I lost is sitting in front of the door with most of my cases of dust and empty shells still inside.

_Well . . . here I come Weiss._

* * *

**(Present)**

My crosshairs move over Weiss' head. She's not moving, but if I take the shot now, then Shun can find me. It's too dark out for me to run at full speed without the risk of going face first into a tree. Shun's speed is scary as is, but the fact that she can also see in the dark makes things even worse for me. She managed to dodge a bullet from Crescent Rose once. I'm sure tracing it back to the source wouldn't be that difficult for her.

"Alright . . . if Shun moves a little more . . . I could probably shoot her in the leg and move it clean through to Weiss." I don't forget about Shun's inability to use aura to shield herself. With a new thought in mind I immediately take out the clip from Crescent Rose and pop the bullet still in her chamber. I reach into the bag and pull out another clip, feeling for a very specific cut in the metal that tells me what dust is loaded into each shell. I feel around until I find the one with the ice dust and hastily place the clip in.

I slowly pull Crescent Rose's bolt lever back to chamber a bullet. I lower my left eye back into the scope and push the lever forward, lowering it into place to secure it. She's ready to fire, and at my beckon she'll make certain to hit her mark. She's never failed me before.

"Just be patient a little longer, Sweetheart . . . I'm almost ready." My finger drifts back over her trigger. The opaque snowflake drifts towards Shun's leg, carefully following the limb and waiting until it begins to obstruct some part of Weiss so I can destroy the mobility of the two with one shot.

The two of them appear to be talking and soon enough the two of them begin to carefully pace in opposite directions to circle each other. I can see my shot start to line up. A few more paces from the both of them and I'll have the perfect angle.

. . . If only things could be so easy.

The sound of rustling leaves brings me out of my focus. The sound came from behind me, and I'm almost certain it has to be a person. I keep still and listen more carefully for any signs of a presence behind me. The moment even the slightest sound can be heard I roll onto my back and hold Crescent Rose aimed at where I believe the sneak is.

"You heard me? I'm getting a little rusty." Blake's voice calls from inside one of the trees, hidden by leaves and branches.

"Blake . . . I have fire dust in the chamber. If I hear anymore movements I'll melt that tree." I bluff. The bullets I have loaded are ice dust, not the most ideal for this scenario, but Blake can't tell what I have loaded. She has no choice but to take my word.

"Relax, Little Red. I'm just looking at the same fight you are. I'm already meeting my quota for now." This time her voice comes from a different tree. If I had to guess, I'd say she's been there long enough to charge her semblance, and the rustling from earlier was her clone, or her moving while the other remained in place. Both ways, there are two Blakes and there's no chance of me identifying the real one.

"Doesn't this remind you of old times, Ruby? Not knowing which is the real me? Doesn't it give you a rush? Doesn't it get your adrenaline _pumping_?" I can practically imagine the smirk on her face while she plays her mind games with me "You want to try guessing which is the real me, Ruby? You take a shot…blow the tree I'm in. If you guess right . . . well, you got me." One Blake says, but then the other one cuts in to finish. "If you guess wrong . . . then that muzzle flash will be the last thing you see before I pounce."

_She's gauging me. I still need to take my shot . . . but I can't turn my back on her. If I try running she can follow me with little problem. It'll be like chasing a scared woman in a horror movie._

"And if I decide not to shoot?" I grit my teeth, hoping that can be a viable option.

"Then I'll sit back and watch the show."

_Either she's lying . . . or she's hurt. Blake wouldn't take on a losing battle . . . maybe she's hurt from an earlier fight. Wait, she mentioned a quota earlier._

"And your 'quota'?"

"I took care of Yang already. I wanted her gone before day 2. I met that deadline." Blake speaks so nonchalantly about it to the point that I feel the need to comment on it.

"Blake, do you hear yourself?" I question her, but I am still forced to gaze back and forth between the two trees while each Blake takes a turn in answering.

"It's a battle royal, Ruby."

"A competition."

"Training"

"It's not like I actually killed her or anything."

"She's back in the mansion, probably watching things unfold."

"I did blindside her, though. I'll make sure to give her some smooches when I get back. By the way, you're missing the fight . . . I found some binoculars. They work pretty well."

_She has binoculars? No wonder she could see them._

I take a gamble and roll back onto my stomach to spot Weiss and Shun. As expected Shun is moving at blinding speeds to circle Weiss while Weiss uses her glyphs to match the explosive movements with her own rapid movements and instant changes in direction. The only signs of actual fighting that I can make out are the brief sparks in the air when Shun's weapon makes contact with Myrtenaster. Weiss is moving a lot faster than usual. Fast enough that she's able to keep up with the Cheetah Faunus and even match her speed. I know Weiss is fast and her reaction time is amazing, but there's something different about it for now.

While I watch on a random weight plants on my back, causing me to jerk until my shoulders are pinned to the floor.

"I'm just sitting on your back. The view's better from down here. Gambol Shroud is to your left, see?"

I turn left to verify what Blake's saying, and sure enough I can spot her weapon a small distance off, hanging from a tree branch. It's close enough that she can get it should I try something, but also far enough that she'll have to get off of me to retrieve it which will give me ample time to react.

"Why sit on my back? We're enemies for now." I spit, following her logic.

"Well, what's the saying? Keep your friends close? Anyway, it looks like Weiss is using that glyph she's been practicing. I didn't think she perfected it. She never uses it in training."

"What glyph? The time Dalmatian?" I ask while I look on at the battle of speed and precision.

"Time _**dilation**_. She explained it to us before. She can alter one's perception of time." I am just about to question what that's supposed to mean, but Blake is already ahead of me and begins explaining before I can even ask. "Right now everything is moving slower for her. How slow, I have no idea, but it's enough for her to follow Shun. That alone is pretty impressive."

I continue to debate if I should take a shot now and risk missing either of them while they are in combat. I could always switch the dust to fire dust and hope the blast with the complimenting flames will take out either one of them. But thinking of it from Blake's perspective, everyone is my enemy. What do I lose by waiting for the fight to end and picking off the winner? It's backhanded, dirty, and very distasteful, but it will get the job done and it will be the least dangerous to me.

While I acknowledge Blake's mindset on the situation, it also opens my eyes that she may be doing the same with me. She already took out Yang who is the biggest threat out of everyone in my opinion. The second largest would be Shun, so leaving more people to deal with Shun will prove to her benefit in the long run.

"Well, it's time for me to go. I was ready to attack if you tried to get me. I should've known you wouldn't." Suddenly I hear a rustling to my left, and when I look, I see that Gambol Shroud is missing. Almost at the same time Blake completely disappears from my back, making me realize that it was her clone with me while she kept in hiding near her weapon. I should've known better.

I find it best not to linger. Instead I put on the backpack and compress Crescent Rose while I move just a little closer to the fighting area while also circling them. I need to find a better shot for the aftermath. If Weiss wins I need to take my shot just after she fires a flare. Her hand will be raised which will make it more difficult for her to block a bullet in time. For Shun I'm not sure if my bullet will even hit her. She proved she can dodge it already, but if I'm closer it'll give her less time to react to the sound.

As I work my way closer, the distinct sounds of clashing metal, mild explosions, and shattering wood become faint. I begin to walk with my body lower to the ground and Crescent Rose's scope always held near my eye to help me see in the dark tree line.

"You know, for a Faunus out after dark . . . you're still pretty blind." The fact that I can hear Weiss' voice now makes me think I am close enough. Blake wouldn't risk getting this close to them just to chase me, and I still have a decent distance where I can take a shot and move before either of them can piece together what happened.

"Blind? You're fighting with a bruised rib and a sprained wrist. How blind am I to notice that? Looks like all a Schnee is good for is talking a good game. I told you that when I go all out . . . you're nothing to me." Shun's arrogant, and harsh way of speaking sparks my curiosity. I go prone on the ground once more to hide myself while I watch on to the fight from just behind one of the thick tree trunks.

"True enough . . ." Weiss starts to say while slowly raising her right hand to come head level, ". . . but I'm not the one standing on thin ice."

Without hesitation Weiss snaps her fingers. Suddenly the ground underneath the two of them begins to crystallize and turn into ice. Outside of the large area of ice it appears that red dust begins to spark and turn the dirt into mud. Both obstacles are without a doubt effective at slowing Shun down.

I expect Weiss to have equal difficulty, but a closer inspection reveals a glyph directly beneath her that keeps her perfectly balanced on the slippery surface. I find it to be an impressive tactic but the mild ringing in my ears makes me realize just how loud that sound was, and even more importantly, something Uncle Qrow brought to my attention.

* * *

**(Returning to Previous Flashback)**

Just after I get the bag and Crescent Rose hauled over my shoulder Uncle Qrow steps out the front door and drops a heavy hand on my shoulder.

"By the way . . . I saw that Grimm you shot at on my way over here. I'm surprised you didn't finish it off." He slurs.

"Well . . . I was kind of running. I couldn't see it very well in the cave, so I shot and ran faster." I explain.

"Right . . . Well I suggest keeping an extra ear open. Any commotion will bring that overgrown Zwei out from hiding. I could've taken care of it, but it's an obstacle for you girls to deal with."

* * *

**(Present)**

_The Beowolf._

The fight becomes more one-sided the longer Shun is unable to get out of Weiss' trap. Weiss takes full advantage of the stolen mobility and goes on to execute all of her attacks to graceful perfection. Slashes, pokes, parries; everything she does connects until Shun does something out of complete desperation.

With the shortest hop from the ground, she turns herself horizontal to the floor and gives a powerful kick with both of her legs. Weiss is smart enough to form a glyph in front of herself to block it, but it looks like that is exactly what Shun was expecting. With her kick hitting the glyph she ends up propelling herself away from the large area of ice and mud which I would say has about a 25 foot radius.

After her escape I see Weiss' eyes go wide. I roll from one side of the tree trunk to the other to see Shun who is standing with her arms hanging like deadweight. Her breaths are heavy, and her lungs are without a doubt screaming for more air. I take distinct notice of the several slash marks on her arms. While she can't use her aura defensively, I can tell that her wounds are already closing, despite the bloody trails that trickle down her to her hands in several different paths, resembling thick, red veins almost. Out the right corner of her mouth is a small trace of dry blood, but what I catch notice of more than anything is the way her eyes are practically glowing. Despite one eye being behind her bangs - and not to mention the distance I have from her – I can still make out the unique color of her eyes which is quite disturbing to say the least.

"Scared of a little blood Ice Queen? I'm not done with you! FIGHT ME!" The angered Faunus shouts to the stunned Heiress. Shun's hurt, and the only thing acting as her defense for now is her pain tolerance.

"Shun get over here! NOW!" Weiss practically taunts back, but her tone is more concerned than it is taunting.

"I ain't stupid, Ice Queen. You're-"

"You stupid Faunus! Look behind you!"

I take a look at what Weiss is directing Shun's attention to and immediately take notice of a Beowolf making its approach from a couple of trees. Shun eventually bites on Weiss' panicked warning and looks over her shoulder to stare directly at the Beowolf, but she turns back towards Weiss with a completely unfazed, and unamused expression.

"I'm stupid for thinking there's really something back there. You stupid twerp." Shun spits with unbridled hostility.

_Did she really not see the Beowolf?_

The large grim begins to move towards Shun, fangs showing and it's toxic breath smoking out of its maw. I stand up and turn Crescent Rose around. Shun's still not reacting to the Grimm approaching her for some reason. Without a moment of hesitation I pull Crescent Rose's trigger and change her from the expanded rifle form into the form that represents Death itself.

The initial speed boost from the recoil gets me to a speed I only need to maintain with the use of my semblance. I close the gap within a single blink and begin to swing Crescent Rose to swipe at the large creatures head while I am still running. A single swipe, a clean kill, and an immediate escape; that's exactly how things will turn out.

When I get in range I can see the red eyes shift towards me. It's already too late for it to react. Grimm are beyond slow in comparison. Beowolves are probably one of the slowest in regards to attacking. I tense my shoulders and arms, yanking on Crescent Rose to build up momentum. The heavy scythe begins to follow my command, but just another little burst would help immensely. That burst is literally at the tip of my index finger. A simple pull of the trigger will send her swiping fast enough to cut through air. The only problem is that I still have a very small distance to close before I can be certain I am in range.

Suddenly I get a better idea and change my approach accordingly. Instead of moving directly towards the Grimm, I instead choose to aim between Shun and the Beowolf. When I pass the two of them, Shun will be to my right and the Beowolf to my left. I turn the curved blade of Crescent Rose to the left. When I pass by I'll simply pull the trigger and let the force of my approach take its head instead of me having to swipe. It'll also keep my momentum in one direction at its peak.

Just as planned I go right between the two of them. Out the corner of my left eye I can see my Sweetheart bury itself into the side of the wolf's head. Within a fraction of a second it's easily decapitated and my escape route is already predetermined.

That plan is sent out the window when I look straight ahead of me to see a raised calf set up to clothesline me and use my own speed against me. The impact is heavy and my head snaps back. My body tries to move without me until the momentum shift sends me into a swift, low backflip into the dirt below.

"So that's it? A pathetic double team attempt? You two are sad."

Her voice echoes in my head. The disorienting kick keeps the ground below me spinning. I'm still fine by all means, but what keeps my mind boggled even more than the kick is one simple question.

Why couldn't she see that Grimm?


	28. Winter's Coming

_So . . . there's a perfectly reasonable explanation as to why this chapter too so long . . .  
_

_You see, while typing and getting above 5k in word length . . . my computer decided it would be a wonderous, and prosperous idea to crash...leaving me with not a single word of my chapter to fall back on._

_SO, I had to retype everything...and it took me longer because well . . . I kept getting pissed at the fact that it could've been done and up already . . . _

_Anyway, this is a flashback chapter and sets up a little more about Winter and a portion of her talk with Ruby. Hope you all enjoy!_

**Chapter 28 - Winter's Coming  
**

_I believe this is the room. Right turn at the hallway, first door on the left._

I raise my right hand and with a loosely clenched fist I begin to knock on the center of the door, keeping my head near the wood to listen for any responses within the room.

"I got it!" An overly enthusiastic voice answers. It's not long before the door is pulled open and I am now looking down into the turquoise eyes of the orange-haired Beacon student.

"Greetings, I'm here to see Ruby Rose. Is she here?" I ask, wanting to avoid the time delay that the pink streaked man caused the last time I stood in this spot.

"Oo~ not a problem! Ru~~by! Weiss' mom is here!"

I cringe when she calls me that. I am young by all means, and at the peak of both my youth and my physical fitness as an Atlesian Specialist. I hardly think that I look anything like a mother.

"Weiss' mom? I hope things don't go as bad as they did with her sis-" She pauses mid word when she comes to the doorway and gains sight of me. "-ter . . .H-hi Winter. I can call you that, right?"

"May I come in?" I ask before she can continue to ramble. She chooses not to answer and instead steps aside before gesturing me in with a downcast head. I don't think our first meeting went bad enough for her to be this nervous and/or fearful. Perhaps my approach was too . . . direct.

"Oh! So you're Weiss' sister! Y'know, I don't know why Ruby's so scared of you. I thought you were going to be like . . . an ice dragon that was gonna pull the roof of the house and eat Ruby for trying to date your precious sister , because nobody deserves to have a dragon for a sister-in-law. The world isn't ready!"

_. . . This must be the Nora Valkyrie she writes about._

"I would like to speak with Ruby alone. I trust that isn't too much to ask for." My hint for her to leave makes the orange-haired girl stand up and give a very poor salute that brings me seconds from drawing my sword for making fun of the Atlas Army. Thankful she's fleet footed and disappears from the room before I have a chance to do so.

"Um . . . I don't think that we should talk without Weiss . . . J-just to avoid any misunderstandings y'know?" She's sitting at the edge of the bed, still sporting the red and black outfit that I believe to be her standard attire.

"I've already found out about your relationship. Weiss seems quite fond of you . . . and it appears she isn't doing this just to spite Father. With those two things out of the way, I expect your cooperation." I walk into the room and take a seat at the foot of the bed on the adjacent corner, leaving ample room between us.

"Cooperation? With what?" She questions. I assume she's still skeptical if I know about their relationship or not.

"It doesn't matter what it is. Your cooperation is non-negotiable. It just so happens that it is something you are capable of. So Ruby Rose, will you make things easier for the two of us? Or will things be unpleasant?" I keep my voice very leveled as I talk, and assure that I don't raise it to a volume that will make her nervous.

"I . . .well . . . umm, s-sure?" She asks more than states. I sigh and accept that her response will be the best I can get for now, until she familiarizes herself with me.

"Good, all I ask of you is to answer my questions. You will not avoid answering, and your deviations from my questions should lead back to answering the question itself. I do not, and will not forget what the pending question is, so do not attempt to stall. I assured my sister that things will be very relaxed between us and I will keep it that way until you decide to insult my intelligence. Are we clear?"

"Well . . . I don't have a choice so . . . y-yeah. Crystal." She takes a heavy huff, realizing her situation is inescapable.

"Good, I am glad we understand each other. Would you care for a drink?" I offer, but she shakes her head. "Very well, first off . . . how did you two end up together? From her letters she's made you out to be an immature, hyperactive girl that rather swing a scythe first than strategize properly."

_. . . I may have worded that too harshly._

"Well," she begins. I take notice of her slouching posture and lowered head. It seems like she isn't the most confident person. Father would chew her up in a heartbeat. "I am all those things. I love cookies, milk and strawberries, and on top of that I'm good at fighting Grimm. I don't think much because I'm not scared of them. My uncle taught me how to use a scythe and since then I've been practicing as much as I can to get better."

_I only know one other person with a Scythe. Hm . . . can't be. Her last name is Rose._

"That still doesn't answer my question." I state simply, understanding her deviation, but not forgiving it.

"Oh! Well, that's why Weiss says that about me. As for well . . . '_us' _it's kind of a weird story. I'm not sure how she came to like me, but as time went on during our first semester she started to warm up a little. She started bringing me hot chocolates at night . . . weakened coffee, and all these other nice things that made me try harder. Then well . . . something happened . . . my sister blew a gasket, Weiss was completely confused, I didn't know what I was doing and I just wanted to crawl under Blake's bed and cry! . . . Then well, after everything settled we ended up together."

_So . . . typical Highschool drama brought them together? Peculiar, but acceptable._

"What _precisely_ happened?" I ask, finding her answer a little too abstract.

"Um . . . It's really embarrassing . . . I'd rather not go into detail on the _whole_ thing." There's a pleading look in her eyes that begs me not to push further. I suppose there are some things I should leave alone. I'll give her the courtesy of keeping some secrets.

"Very well. Have you always been . . . how do I put this? 'Gender blind' when it comes to romance?"

"Pretty much, Weiss wasn't my first girl-crush if that's what you mean. But . . . she's definitely the only one for me. I won't let anything keep us apart." She says with such radiating pride. Her innocence is disgusting to say the least. She has little ideas of what the real world is like.

"And what if it hurts Weiss more than it heals? The media, her reputation, and the respect she holds. All it will take is a simple photo to destroy it. Your family is supportive of your relationship. I am . . . tolerant with it. You appear to care for her as a person, not for her name . . . it's rare to say the least. Yet, you lack any thoughts of the future. You live in the moment instead of looking down the road to the next day. Can you truly bring her happiness? Or will she lose everything because of the intolerance of man?" I push my palms into the bed and stand up. I don't dare look at her and instead hold my hands behind my back while I talk. "Why do we need armies? Why do we need law enforcement? Humans are violent creatures that need to be held under an iron fist. They fear what is different, and shun anybody who is different. Something as simple as appearance can start a war . . . If you need proof you can look at the White Fang. They're ruthless, but intolerance made them that way. Can you believe that 'we' as human beings will tolerate something as rare as a relationship like yours? It's bound to receive the same treatment as a faunus-human relationship."

I don't look at her, instead I hold still and listen for her response. She won't be able to remain the innocent girl she comes off as. The world is a cold place, and if she's going to be with my sister as well as work her way towards being a huntress, then that innocence needs to be discarded so she may view the world for what it is.

"I can . . ." Her two words come off as a whisper, but the mere context makes me look over my shoulder with surprise, only to meet a heavy stare from her silver eyes. "People can be changed. I want to be a Huntress to help people, isn't that the point? We're not just tools to fight the Grimm. We're here to make the world a better place . . . and we will . . . that's why we're here . . . isn't it?"

_She's . . . beyond naïve. She's a child._

"Yes . . . you're correct." I find myself smiling when I respond to her. She has ideologies that annoy me, yet as a person she's very likable, despite how underwhelming she is as a team leader. I find myself lowering my guard the longer we talk . . . I'm unsure if I like that or not.

"Um . . . next question?" She asks out of nervousness from my silence.

"Right . . . I'll return in just a moment. Please call Sebastian if you need anything." I stand up and make my way out the room with haste. The moment I step outside I turn right, simply for the purpose of gaining distance from her. She's peculiar to say the least. She's completely devoted to making the world a better place, and on top of that she may have the means of doing so with her skills as a Huntress and her morals as a person.

While I organize my thoughts and try to determine my full thoughts about Ruby Rose I decide to continue walking straight and head towards the end of the hallway. At the very end is a glass door that leads to a balcony. From that balcony I can look down and to my left to see the small garden as well as inside a portion of the gazebo before my vision gets obstructed by the roof of it. I'm certain Weiss' glyphs are still up which would mean that the two of them are still inside. I wonder what kind of progress has been made.

Similar to Ruby, this . . . Jaune Arc appears to hold very high values as a leader. I'm very satisfied with Weiss' company to say the least. They all appear to have their own unique personalities and hold their friendships well. Then there is the one who Ruby called Ren. While he is a tedious person to deal with he appears to be very protective. Ruby Rose is naïve and caring, making her incapable of causing harm to my sister. Nora Valkyrie appears to be more of a pet to Lie Ren that needs to be looked after constantly. There are still two people I need to meet based on Weiss' letters. One of them is the bow-wearing ninja who enjoys ample amounts of lewd fiction. The second is the half-sister of Ruby Rose, and the daughter of the esteemed Sun Dragon . . . Taiyang Xiao Long. If I recall correctly he was on a team with someone else of high accolades – Qrow Branwen.

I pause at the end of the hallway and take my time to re-assess Ruby's relationship to Taiyang Xiao Long. She is his daughter by blood, and with her last name should be the daughter of the leader of that disbanded team.

I take the precaution to open the door as quietly as I can to not disturb any form of moment going on between the two. When I step out onto the balcony I leave the door open and look down at the gazebo. From my angle I can only see the back of both of their heads while they sit inside. It appears that Pyrrha Nikos has her head on his shoulder while they talk. His right arm is around her shoulder, welcoming her against him, but also keeping modesty between the two.

"At least chivalry isn't dead." I say to no one in particular.

* * *

**(Flashback)**

"Good. You're coming with me. We're going to the garden. You will not speak. You will not question me. You will not fall behind my walking pace. Are we clear?"

"Y-yeah. Sure. Let me just get-"

"I'm walking."

I give him no chances at providing an excuse and begin walking down the hallway. That Ren person placed me in a below-optimal mood. Now I need to deal with this clueless Huntsman-in-Training. To think that someone as prestigious as Pyrrha Nikos would fall for someone as . . . ordinary as he makes himself out to be. My sister seems to be in the same boat in that regard.

That girl she tried so hard to keep away from me surely has a deeper relationship with her than just a 'leader'. All of her letters haven't been the most complimenting when it came to her leader, yet now she appears to have a complete change of heart.

While I continue walking I go for the nearest stairwell. When I see the door and reach out for the handle I'm surprised to see the blonde student practically dash in front of me to hold the door open himself with his foot acting as a doorstop.

"Um . . . thank you?" I question more than say while I walk by him. He was able to beat my walking pace to get to the door and even beat my outstretched arm to the handle. That's a very quick burst of speed just to hold a door open.

When we get to the bottom of the stairs I am met with similar treatment, but this time he manages to slide by me to open and hold it by pressing his back against it. I pause and stand at the doorway, a perplexed look on my face.

"You're . . . exceptionally polite." I observe.

"Having seven sisters tends to do that." He responds and slides away from the doorway to make more room for me to exit, and again uses his foot as a doorstop.

"It would seem so." I whisper more to myself than to him. I walk through the doorway and continue guiding him towards the garden area. When we reach the glass door that leads towards the gazebo, he attempts to get the door for me once again. This time I make a point of using one arm to stop him while I use my other hand to grab the handle and open it.

"I don't expect catering from you." I say while I walk out the door, leaving him to catch it himself.

"It's not catering. A guy should hold a door open for a lady, shouldn't he? My mom always told me that chivalry isn't dead, it's just taking a vacation so it'll be appreciated on return."

"If you keep talking like that, I may just force your arms around me instead of that love-struck redhead."

"Sorry, could you repeat that?"

". . . It's none of your concern." I answer back with a mild blush crossing my face that I keep hidden by walking towards the gazebo without turning my head. ". . . She better appreciate what she's getting."

* * *

**(Present)**

During my recollection of prior events involving the blond warrior, I find myself slouching against the banister and look at the two while they talk and keep close to each other. The modesty that radiates off of them is enough to make my scoff somewhat. It's cute to the point of almost being revolting.

"Hey, Snow Angel you seen Ruby anywhere?"

_Snow . . . Angel?_

I move myself upright and turn around to see who it is that's addressing me so casually. I am surprised to come to meet the glare of multi-colored eyes that belong to a Faunus of some sorts. The ears on her head make a clear indication of feline, but it's not until one of them flutters, possibly from the cold breeze, that I notice the orange fur with black spots that narrow down the possible lineage.

". . . And who might you be?" I question with clear annoyance and narrowing eyes. Surprisingly, she seems unaffected by my stare and is more than willing to return it without faltering.

"A Faunus who doesn't care about a last name." She snarks with a challenging scowl.

"So instead of using a name, you call me 'Snow Angel'? I understand my sister is into women . . . but now I have a Faunus expecting to bed a Schnee . . . Wonderful." I answer with dripping venom and sarcasm.

"Tsk. Believe me, I'm far from being into some stuck up white-haired girl who thinks she's ahead of everyone else." She barks back without hesitation.

"I'd watch my tongue if I were you." I take a step towards her, slamming my heel into the ground while placing a hand on my hip to secure my weapon.

"Fucking hell! Stop doing that!" The Faunus shouts at me with both of her hands going over her ears. I stand in confusion then realize the heels I am wearing were specially made from a carefully treated mixture of metal and dust. The material is made to be stronger than the standard metal along with the ability to cling to most rock/cement surfaces to make scaling a wall or steep surface a simple matter of maintaining momentum. It was explained that the vibration in the metal on certain surfaces let off a frequency that certain types of Fauna can hear. It seems one of those types may be feline.

"You have a foul mouth. I expect kinder words from a _visitor_. A proper introduction is in order as well." I take two steps backwards, one step firm to emphasize the fact that I can cause her pain with a simple step, and the second I make sure is much lighter while I lean against the banister for support.

"Well if you ain't guess yet . . . I'm not exactly raised by royalty, your Highness. I'm from Patch."

"Patch . . . small island Southeast of Vale. Home to many Fauna, and also the hometown of Ruby Rose. I assume you live close to her?" I question. To my surprise she's open to answering my questions, but with a much more obnoxious and defiant tone than the others I've dealt with.

"No, I met her over a hundred miles from home one time and suddenly I'm here at the biggest resource of Faunus hate. Obviously I live near her. What's it matter to you?" She folds her arms and leans against the open glass door. I take note of the fact that she's barefoot, which would explain how she managed to get close to me without making a sound.

"Because I was speaking with her earlier before I decided to step out for a moment." I pause for a moment then raise an eyebrow out of curiosity. "You know about the two of them I assume?"

"Are you going to keep asking me questions? If I wanted to talk about Ruby I'd talk with Mr. Qrow." She sighs with clear annoyance. It's then that I pause and swallow her words. She just mentioned a name that is all too familiar.

"Qrow . . . Branwen?" I ask with gritted teeth. Things slowly start to piece themselves together. Her half-sister, Yang Xiao Long carries the last name of their father. He was on the same team as Qrow . . . one of the sorriest excuses for a professional Huntsman I've had the privilege of crossing paths with. Last I heard from the General, Qrow was out on some sort of scouting mission and went silent over two weeks ago.

"Again with the questions! What does it matter of her uncle's Qrow Branwen? The guy's just a teacher with more school absences than me."

"I'm starting to dislike your attitude . . . State your identity." I place my right hand on my hip for my saber, more than willing to force an answer out of her if her attitude holds firm.

"Ooo, look at an almighty Schnee drawing her weapon on an unarmed Faunus. Just remember _. . . Snow Angel . . . _it's only a piece of metal until it actually hits me."

With her words as serious as the overconfident scowl on her face, she takes a slight step away from me and raises her left leg into the air. It's a stance that gives her little mobility with only one foot on the ground, yet the danger I can feel around her lets me know that she isn't to be taken lightly.

"Very well. To keep things civil . . . and keep your blood off the carpet . . . a single strike." Without explaining myself I draw my saber and take an immediate swing to her grounded foot. I'm surprised to see her reaction is flawless when she simply lifts her heel and slams it back down to catch my blade and pinch it to the floor. When I look back into her eyes I'm met with a different glare than I recall earlier.

It's not 'different' in terms of intensity . . . it's like the color of her iris changed magically. I expect her counterattack to come from her elevated foot, and a visible tensing in her leg confirms the obvious. My right hand remains firmly on my saber, but my left hand is ready to catch her leg when it arrives but that kick never makes it to my head.

Instead, a loud scream from down the hall draws the Faunus out of her concentrated state and her eye reverts back to the color I initially recall it having.

"Shun!" the familiar voice shouts loud and clear. "I told you that's off limits."

Instead of acknowledging the person calling her, she lifts her heel off of my saber and walks away from me. In the direction she is heading is the origin of the voice, along with a visual confirmation of my suspicion. Qrow Branwen in the flesh.

". . . I'll give your sister the kick I owe you . . . That's a promise."

_So she's part of the match going on tomorrow? Interesting._

As she gets near Qrow I see him grab her firmly by the ear, followed by several hushed words of discontent.

"I told you your semblance is not to be used without my approval. You're lucky I found you . . . she would've beaten you before you could get your fourth kick off. She's a specialist . . . far beyond your skill level."

While he scolds the groaning Faunus girl I take the chance to enter the hallway and make my way past the two of them, not giving my acknowledgement towards either. I make my way back to the room to see Ruby with a cup of water, still seated in the same spot I left her in. With my slight daydream and the Faunus' interruption, I assume I have been gone for roughly 10 minutes.

"Forgive my leave. I trust Sebastian tended to you in a timely manner."

"He did. Practically instant, actually. It's kind of scary how fast he is." She answers prior to taking a loud slurp of her water. That ungraceful sound draws a shiver out of my spine. I fight every urge within me to give her an entire lesson on more ladylike behavior, especially since she seems far from being anything close to a respectable woman in terms of manners and behavior.

"That's good to hear." I look over my shoulder and make sure the door is closed before I retake my seat at her side. "Let this stay between us . . . Tell me about your friends. Especially the Faunus girl."

* * *

**(The Following Evening)**

"This is exactly why Weiss should be attending school in Atlas. That girl is nothing but an anchor for my daughter's full potential."

"I think you're overreacting, Father. She's . . . peculiar to say the least, but she's not a complete hindrance. I find her to be . . . entertaining." I comment.

We're currently in Father's work-study. The daylight has since faded and one of the cameras on the screen over the fireplace is fixated on Ruby Rose who is prone and watching something off in the distance.

"Father, is she looking towards quadrant 14? That would be camera 7 . . . that's where we had the hide-able tennis court placed."

At my question Father takes the chance to change screens. As expected, there are two figures within the center of camera 7, but it's not until Father enhances the visual that we come to see Weiss standing face to face with the rude Faunus I dealt with yesterday.

"Hm . . . and she seems to be a woman of her word." I can't help but smile to see the Faunus standing face to face with my sister. It's amusing to see that she isn't all talk, but it'll be more amusing to see how Weiss fares against her. I only saw a very brief glimpse on what she can do, but the fact of that matter is that she's quick with reliable reflexes. Two things that can make a skilled, untouchable fighter.

"Who? My daughter's supposed lover?"

"I was speaking to myself, Father. It seems that she intends to only watch what happens for now. I wonder how long it'll take her to get involved. That is of course reliant on how much she trusts Weiss to be able to handle-"

Before I can finish my sentence I am cut off by a loud, angry scream from over my shoulder. I immediately recognize it as Qrow's and turn around to give him a piece of my mind, but I realize immediately that he's too focused on the screen to even acknowledge I am in the room.

"Shun! Why the hell are you . . . You're past the arranged time. You need to leave. NOW."

I decide to look back at the screen, only to see the Faunus reach up to her right ear and pluck something a small distance away.

"I'm going to kill her. I'm going to grab her by the ears and tug in different directions until one of them comes off!"

"Qrow," another person enters the room, and this one I recognize as Taiyang Xiao Long. Someone who's dealt with Father plenty of times and while his reputation is shadowed by Qrow's, he's still someone to always keep in mind. "What are you yelling about this time?"

"She's out there after I told her not to be. She's going to get killed. Especially against, Weiss." Qrow begins to pace back and forth.

"Qrow, I understand that my daughter's going to a prestigious school to be a Huntress . . . I doubt she's lethal, however." Father speaks up in defense of the Faunus girl. The response only earns a loud, exaggerated laugh from Qrow who shakes his head.

"Are you kidding me? If it was to the death then Shun would win without a problem. It's your little 'obstacle' I'm worried about. She's an amazing fighter . . .but her skills against Grimm are well . . . Let's just say an infant has a better chance of beating a Grimm . . . they're too young to understand fear."

"You're telling me that Shun's scared of Grimm!?" Taiyang shouts in surprise and anger. "Qrow, why the hell did you leave her in there knowing that Grimm will be involved!? This has to be the most dim-witted, irresponsible thing you've done so far. Go out there and GET HER to SAFETY."

"It's too dark for me to see out there, Tai . . . Will-"

"It's Wille-"

"I don't care if you're name's 'King of Remnant'. What are the next batch of Grimm being sent out?"

"There's a Boarbatusk already released . . . 3 Ursai will follow in about half an hour. If you plan on going after her, I suggest you leave . . . otherwise you'll be sweeping her up from the dirt and leaves."


	29. Aftermath

**Chapter 29 – Aftermath  
**

_Shit . . . what happened?_

My eyes flutter and fight to open, only to get attacked by the blinding rays of daylight. To my right is a large, white curtain that stops me from seeing any further than a few feet. To my left I am met with the same obstacle.

My vision is still blurry, possibly trying to adjust to sunlight once again. I thought I was a goner to say the least, but a second chance is always welcomed. Especially when it plays out in my favor. My vision is not helping me at all for the moment, and in my need to assess the situation, I turn to my other senses for help. First off, I come to realize that whatever bed I'm in is elevated. From the waist and up I'm tilted to a 45 degree angle that probably has some sort of bogus medical reason to help me heal.

"She almost got herself killed, Taiyang. Why the hell should she be praised?"

"You're more stubborn than Zwei, Qrow. Think about the entire situation for a moment."

I groan, trying to listen in on the conversation, but as my vision finally begins to clear even slightly, I'm met with a light-headed feeling followed by the entire rooming swirling in my blurred vision until I lay back and let myself drift away.

What the hell happened to me? Everything was great . . . there was nothing in this world that could stop me. All I can remember is everything turning south and before I knew it there were Grimm. This is embarrassing. To be bathed in bruises and bed-ridden like some useless invalid. I'll be out of here in no time . . . wherever 'here' is.

* * *

I find myself opening my eyes up again in what feels like only a couple of seconds, but by the orange light that lights up the room I can tell that it's more than likely the evening as opposed to it being dawn. I've been out for a couple of hours and I'm still as disoriented as I was earlier. The fading light of dusk doesn't bother me as much as the afternoon brightness had, and thankfully it makes it much easier for my eyes to focus. This time around my ears decide to pick up on a calm, steady beeping that's relatively close to me.

I look to my right once again, and aside from the white curtain I see a thick pole holding up a machine with a bunch of random numbers. At the very top of the pole I can see a small anchor that holds a hanging bag that I realize is an IV. I trace the IV down towards the bed until my eyes are drawn to my right forearm. There's a large gash sitting there that's appears to have been treated already. A little lower, right at my wrist is where the IV's been inserted. My forearm is a mess to say the least. The scabbed gash is disgusting to look at, and the fact that my entire forearm is sweaty leads me to believe that it was completely bandaged earlier and was just taken off recently.

_How many days has it been? What the hell did this to me?_

I try to recall my most recent memories, but everything's a meshed up blur. Thankfully it's no case of super amnesia. I can easily remember my name, yet at the same time I have some minor doubts as to what it is. Is that even possible?

This time around I try to force myself to stay awake. I have no idea where I am. This room is completely unmarked in terms of emblems that can identify who owns the place. I could still be a little too drugged up to notice little details but either way I need to get myself moving.

I recognize how useless my right arm must be for now and make use of my left arm to prop myself up to the best of my ability. The sheer effort it takes to sit myself up even though the bed I'm in already has me elevated a decent amount is completely demoralizing. I've dealt with casually walking around with plenty of extra weight without a single problem. Now I'm suddenly a helpless maiden that can't even get out of bed.

_Fuck this._

Out of sheer anger I reach over and rip the IV from my wrist. The swift motion sends my head into a minor spin but I do my best to ignore it for now. _I'm fine. I'm fine._ I repeat the two-word phrase constantly until I can force myself to believe it. I may not be fine right now . . . but I will be in no time at all. There's no doubt in my head about it.

With my head still spinning I take the pearly white blanket off of my legs so I can turn and let my legs hang over the edge of the bed. I practically claw into the edge of the bed with my left hand to keep myself balanced while I try my best to get my bearings.

_I think I'm gonna be sick . . ._

It takes me roughly five minutes to finally feel my stomach settle and another ten for the ground to stop shaking beneath me. A relaxed tummy and an idle floor are all I need to have enough motivation to slide forward and move to my feet.

It's at that moment that I feel like the entire world is resting on my shoulders. The moment I let my weight rest on my legs I feel instant regret in not testing just how much strength I have in my legs. It takes me less than five seconds to stumble and drop down to a knee. That small, pathetic attempt at self-rehabilitation brings back the rapid, dizzying motions of the floor and everything around me. The swirling world and nauseating feeling are too much to endure, and without consulting me, my body decides to shut down, leaving me unconscious on the floor of a place I know nothing about.

* * *

"She was on the floor when I came to change her IV. My guess is she woke up in a panic." I can hear a feminine voice speak out, but with an odd echo attached to it. Like it's a voice in my dream yet I know it's in reality.

"If she woke up once then she'll be waking up more frequently. I suggest calling the three and giving them the news. It'll be easier to have them here as opposed to keeping someone here on twenty-four hour watch." The second voice sounds so familiar. It's male, calm, calculating, and very professional. I know that voice so well . . . but I just can't think of the name. I can't think at all to be quite honest. The headaches, the weakness, the pulsating in my right forearm. All of it makes me want to simply shut down and call it a day.

"What about . . . him?" The conversation continues with the two voices echoing. All the while I try to fight my eyelids to open. I need to see who they are. I need to know I'm in a safe place.

"He recovered the quickest, thankfully. I'm not sure he's in fighting condition, but at least they're all on their feet . . . almost."

"Will they be able to participate next week?"

"That's the least of our concerns. Let's hope they all get well . . . especially her."

* * *

My eyes begin to flutter, battling the bright lights of the early morning. As expected I'm still in the same room I woke up in yesterday. I'm already growing sick of the color white. The IV is back in my arm and my forearm is tightly wrapped with clean bandages.

"Take two . . . action." I murmur to myself with little to no enthusiasm. Here comes my second attempt at getting up and out of this bed. Hopefully I can make it at least 3 feet before my legs decide to call it quits.

I repeat my steps from yesterday, the first being to carelessly rip out the IV I've grown to hate as a symbol of my weakened, dependent state. I then make it a point to take the white blankets off of my legs so I can swing both of my legs to the left to rest over the edge of the bed. It's hard to tell, but I feel as if there's more feeling in them as opposed to yesterday. It's probably just in my mind.

"Alright . . . we can do this . . . just a nice, deep breath and . . ." I use my left arm to slide myself forward and also hold on for support. Learning from my mistake yesterday, I make sure to let the balls of my feet touch the floor and try to stand up while I still have the bed beneath me for support.

I make sure to take my time, lowering down from the balls of my feet until I am capable of setting my heels on the floor. I begin to lesson how much weight my arm is supporting, slowly letting my entire weight settle onto spaghetti legs. Surprisingly I don't end up falling and having a repeat of my previous attempt. Instead I find myself wobbling on shaky legs, relying on my only good arm to keep balanced.

_Okay . . . progress._

The cold touch of the white-tiled floor gives me a small case of shivers, but cold feet are at the bottom of my list of concerns at the moment. I move my left hand across my body to help me turn before re-grasping the bed. It's then that I carefully lift up my left leg and take my first step. The split second that all of my weight and balance is reliant on the other leg almost makes me fall over. My next step is a little more thought out. I recognize that I can't use my right forearm and instead choose to plant my right elbow into the bedding to support each of my next steps while I make my way towards the doorway of the small, blocked off area that sits towards the foot of the bed.

I spend my time taking baby steps and using the bed for support. Each little step followed by a fight for balance before I am able to go for the next. A simple, three second trip to the doorway turns into a two minute exhibition.

"This is sad."

When I reach the edge of the bed I carefully move my hands away from it, hoping my legs will be able to support my weight for now. I'm able to take a couple of steps, making it out the doorway before I end up stumbling forward into a wall and lean into it for support. I take notice that to my right is a window and to my left is a door that most likely leads out of this room.

Not-so-surprisingly, the entire room is a pearly white. White walls, white floors, and of course a white ceiling with exception to some of the dim, artificial lights. I stumble towards the door, each step I make requires me to replant my left hand against the wall even though the right side of my body is what's leaning against it. The last thing I need is my wound opening up. Now that I think about it, I may have other injuries that I'm not aware of. Why is it that I never think things through? Oh well.

On my way to the door I spot two more curtained-off beds. One of them is occupied by a very large figure while the other is neatly made without a person in it. It makes me feel a little better knowing that I wasn't the only one bed-ridden . . . If only I could remember what it was that did this.

Once I reach the door I carefully pull it open and peek out into the hallway. It's clear that I'm in some kind of hospital based on the several doors on each side of the hallway and the little folder-holders next to each door. There are no symbols or names that I can see that give me a hint to what, or where this place is. I need to get out of here. Not only do I hate hospitals with a passion, I'm strongly against being in a place I know nothing about.

"If I were an exit . . . where would I be?"

I look to my right, then to my left until I see a distinct, red sign that immediately catches my attention.

"I would be near the exit sign . . . obviously."

I shake my head and follow the clear-as-day path towards the exit. Surprisingly there aren't any personnel roaming the halls which I find to be very weird, especially for a medical center of some sorts.

"Sir, please! That's not for consumption!" I hear someone yell from a little further down. Towards the end of the hallway is a right turn. To keep myself hidden I hug the right side of the hall, brushing my right shoulder against the wall for support while I inch closer and closer towards the corner while also listening in on the loud exchange of words.

"Alcohol is alcohol. I bust my chops for you people and I can't get a single swig as thanks? What's wrong with you?" The slur of an obviously drunk man responds to the more formal voice. The next couple of seconds is filled with an odd silence that is quickly broken with the sound of someone spitting into a haze. "Yuck! This wouldn't satisfy a hobo. What kind of place makes bad tasting alcohol!?"

"This is a hospital! We don't use drinking alcohol anywhere on premise!"

"That's a load of horse gobble. A swig of whiskey was meant to cure anything when I was in my teens. Open cut, bruised arm, heartbreak, headache, even a stubbed toe was no match for a good drink." His slurring is consistent, but he's still easily understandable. ". . . Stock up on something better. The service here sucks."

I see a shadow against the wall at the end of the hallway begin to come into view until the person creating the shadow comes into sight. He's a tall man with a mixture of gray and black hair. If his odd posture and stance weren't enough to distinguish him, then his bright red eyes would certainly do the job. It takes only a second for him to notice me immediately before letting off a loud chuckle.

"So you're finally awake, eh? Not the whole shebang you were expecting, I bet. You have any idea how much crap I had to go through? I mean . . . sure, it's my job as a Huntsman." He waves his hand and rolls his eyes in one of the most annoyed fashions I've seen. "But you had to make my job difficult . . . I. hate. Difficult." He has a clear, cylindrical bottle in his right hand. It takes me a moment to realize that it's a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Very nonchalantly he tosses the bottle over his shoulder and starts to walk towards me with a less-than-pleased expression. "I have bone to pick with you. Mainly my fractured rib, you little-"

Before his sentence can finish I'm already backtracking to maintain distance from him. My movement in the opposite direction doesn't put him in a better mood, either. He starts to walk faster to shrink the gap between us much faster, and in a panic I turn around and start to stumble away from him, but the moment I turn around I bump into someone . . . the same person who I was just looking at behind me.

"How's your arm?" He asks, but before I answer he's already inspecting my bandaged forearm. It's then that I notice I probably reopened the wound based on how bloody the bandages are compared to earlier. "Kids . . . you better hope this closes up again. That thing did a number on you."

"What did a number on me? Where am I? Who the hell are you!?" I ask in a flurry, seeking any answers I can get.

"Really?" He squats slightly to look me in the eye. "You have no idea who I am?"

". . . A drunkard who doesn't know the difference between rubbing alcohol and drinking alcohol is my only guess." My answer makes him scoff. He stands upright and places a hand on the top of my head before he turns and starts to walk.

"You're not wrong . . . but you're not right, either. Try to keep up . . . I don't want to carry you around a second time."

I nod my head even though he isn't looking at me anymore and start to follow him. He keeps a patient pace, making it easy for me to keep up without him drifting too far from my sight.

"So you don't remember a thing that's happened? Grimm? Explosions? Any names? Your name?"

"It's all a haze . . . I don't know a thing. Where are we?" I question while I follow behind him. We eventually make a turn that leads us towards the front desk of the hospital. He pauses for a moment and starts to have a small discussion with the person behind the counter.

"Look, I'm just taking her out for air. She can't go far anyway . . . that arm's holding her down."

"Sir, I can't let you go without proper authorization. I could possibly lose my job." The person behind the counter is a pale Faunus of some sort with canine ears and jet black hair. He's wearing the typical hospital attire – scrubs.

"It's fine. Let him walk her." A more feminine voice calls out. I immediately look over my shoulder and practically freeze as a tall, straight-haired blonde walks up to me. She's wearing a white coat with scrubs underneath and the size of her chest is somewhat intimidating when I look down to peek at my own. When I look down I realize that I'm still in a hospital gown that fits well on me, but still insanely loose at the same time . . . I hope there's no wind outside.

"Um . . . and you are?" I ask with a tilt of my head.

"Don't remember your own doctor? Let's hope this amnesia goes away relatively soon. I prefer it when you're more confident." She comments while inspecting my arm. "Wound's opened up it seems . . . Shouldn't be anything too bad. Try not to flex your forearm. I'll send a call out to your friends to let them know you're going to be outside for a while."

The bright, reassuring smile she gives me sends a shiver down my spine. The air around her feels so safe and familiar. For a moment a hard pulse hits my temple and I can't help but get a single word stuck in my head. That word continues to hit me over and over until I finally decide to blurt it out in hopes that it will cease.

"Summers." I murmur, but that pain continues to make my head throb, forcing me to close my eyes and try to escape it. "Summers! F-fuck this headache with a long, hard metal pole!" I shout at the top of my longs, only to be silenced when a pair of hands cup my cheeks.

"No fever. You're sweating a bit, and it seems your amnesia is curing slightly." I open my eyes to the soft, blue-eyed gaze that appears to be analyzing me constantly.

"What do you mean my amnesia's curing? A headache means shit." I groan, fighting off a few more pulses.

"Well . . . maybe not as quick as I thought. Get going." She moves upright and gives me a nudge to follow the red-eyed man who's been escorting me around so far.

"I'll keep her safe, Doc." He calls out to her while I move to catch up to him.

"You know my name, Qrow." She says with a slight chuckle of amusement.

"Alright, alright. I'll keep her safe, Doctor _Summers_."

_Her name is . . ._

"Come on, Kid." He calls out to me. Out of a sense of obligation my legs pick up a little more speed to keep up with him.

When we get outside, the bright lights of the afternoon attack my eyes without remorse. The bright green of the grassy areas contrast wonderfully with the silver, hexagonal-stoned pathway that leads away from the hospital. I follow him onto the grass, acknowledging how the grass feels beneath my feet. Slightly cold, yet warm all the same.

"Tai seems to think you're some sort of righteous hero for what you did. Me? I think you're a complete and utter idiot. But that's nothing new." He lowers to a crouch and seats himself in the grass, gesturing with his right hand for me to take a seat. "Speak of the devil."

I look in the same direction as him to see someone about the same height walk towards us. He's wearing a pretty casual outfit, has blond hair, and bright, lilac eyes that contrast greatly to the red-eyed glare I've been dealing with.

"Oh, she's up. What are you doing out here, Qrow? We're supposed to be talking with-"

"It's a good day out, Tai. Enjoy it for a moment. Oh, our friend here has a case of amnesia. Has no clue who I am."

"I wouldn't want to know you either." He says to Qrow, then turns his attention to me. "Consider it a blessing that you don't know him."

While the two toss back and forth playful insults I take my seat on the grass. The cool, gentle winds tickle the back of my neck. It's not the greatest weather to be outside in only a hospital gown, but it does feel like a relief to have the sun pamper me with its rays. I end up focusing so much on my sense of touch that I zone out the two adults near me. I decide to let their argument continue and choose to lay back and attempt to take a nap. Hopefully this one does me some good.

* * *

"You three sure you can look after her? She may not even know who any of you are. Amnesia's a painful thing . . . especially to the person's friends and family."

"We're more than capable of looking after her. Thank you for your concern."

"If that's how you feel."

I hear two people exchanging words but I don't want to open my eyes. The breeze, the sun, the relaxing sounds; everything is synchronized to make the perfect environment to relax. I want to savor it a little more, even if it's just for a few more seconds.

I can feel the presence of three people around me. There's no sound, or any sort of disruption . . . but I know they're there. It's a weird feeling that keeps me from falling asleep again. Maybe they all walked away and I'm just imagining things, but I doubt it.

"Is anyone there?" I finally call out without opening my eyes or moving.

"Y-you're awake? W-we didn't-?" A shy, feminine voice answers back with clear concern.

"You're fine. Just tell me who you are." I use my left arm to help prop myself to a seated position before I open my eyes. Kneeling directly in front of me is a girl with long, brown hair and sweet, brown eyes. She has the gentlest gaze that practically forces a smile out of me.

"You don't . . . remember me?" Her question is followed with tears swelling in her eyes. She holds her gaze on me, hoping something will click in my head, but there's nothing in mind for me.

"It isn't my fault." I sigh and lean back slightly to look up to the sky but something catches my attention. On top of her head are two long, brown rabbit ears that practically call out for me to pet them. Behind her are two males; one of them exceptionally tall and bulky. He doesn't have on a top, but has his entire torso and right shoulder bandaged heavily. The person next to him is much shorter, dark with orange hair and has his forehead wrapped. "You three . . ."

_They're . . . Foxxy . . . Yatsi . . . and . . ._

I lower my eyes back to hers, an immense smile coating my face. I bring my left arm off of the grass to wrap around her head. Unfortunately my left arm is the only thing holding me up, and that forces me to fall back, bringing the rabbit Faunus down on top of me with a surprised squeal.

"Now how could I forget my Bon Bon?"

"Coco!" The happy rabbit shouts before burying her face into my neck.

_How could I ever forget the people most important to me?_

"Yeah, yeah. Don't mess up the merchandise." I tease. I can see the smiles on Yatsuhashi's and Fox's faces while I try to keep the snuggle-happy Faunus at bay with only one good arm.

"It's good to see you're okay, Coco." Yatsuhashi says while Fox nods in agreement.

"I'm not exactly better . . . I still don't remember what did this to me . . . Hell, I only remember you three and our kickass team." A sigh and chuckle mesh together from me.

"Coco, you . . . You've been asleep for over three days now . . ." Velvet murmurs. She finally seems to have calmed down and inches off of me to help me sit up again. "The Huntsmen that just left seem to know Ozpin. The one with the grey hair is apparently one of the best. They and Glynda found you in the subway tunnels . . . You don't remember our assignment to Mountain Glenn?"

_Mountain Glenn? It sounds familiar . . ._

"Let's just . . . say that I do for now. Things went South quicker than my eyes when I see you in those cute carrot-print pajamas." I tease with a flirtatious metaphor that makes Velvet turn her head and push me on the shoulder.

"Anyway . . . we ended up on a runaway train . . . When we jumped off you had me and Fox get to the city while you held off an entire swarm of Grimm by yourself. Doctor Oobleck said you probably could've held your ground if you had another bandolier . . . Apparently you ditched your handbag and it got trampled by the Grimm stampede."

"But . . . that old, creepy uncle lookin' guy said he tinkered with it recently."

"He didn't exactly fix it . . . He remade it. All it needs is your emblem." Yatsuhashi jumps in.

"Heh. Wonder how long I'll be like this. I feel like I got Alzheimer's . . ." I mumble, but Velvet picks up on my self-talk easily.

"Well, Ms. Goodwitch said it shouldn't be more than a couple of days after you are out of bed. She kind of guessed that you may have amnesia . . . She figured you went under too much stress, including a near-death experience." Velvet answers. "Doesn't look like we'll be competing in the tournament this year."

"Tournament?"

"The Vytal festival . . . It's yearly. Teams from all over compete and well . . . You and Yatsuhashi have the worst bruises out of all of us."

"Tsk. Yatsi's a tank and I'm stubborn. We'll be up and running. Right, bud?" I smirk and look over Velvet towards the standing giant of a teammate.

"B-but you're-" Velvet starts to talk but Yatsi reaches down and touches the rabbit Faunus on the shoulder.

"There's no arguing with Coco once she makes up her mind. I'll prepare some herbal tea to help us all."

_Ugh . . . Should I just pretend my amnesia's gone and ask for a hot cocoa?_

A near death experience, amnesia, a crapton of Grimm and I'm still standing. I may as well call myself an immortal at this point.

* * *

_So, how many of you thought it was a Shun chapter to begin with? :3 You evil people just forgot all about Coco :( You're all so cold hearted D: She risked her life darnit!_

_As always, leave a review and stuff :o . . . otherwise Yang may get disarmed of more than just her Ember Celica . . . _

_She'll save 50% on ammo by switching to Geicko . . . if you catch my drift . . ._

_I'll do it!_

_. . . Don't mess with me . . . _

_Blake's Next . . . _


	30. Not Fast Enough

**_So, I tallied everything up and kept working on both chapters until this morning when I check and saw that the Flashback chapter had more votes than the Blake x Yang chapter which kind of had me scratching my head and slightly pissed me off since I figured everyone would go for the Black chapter since nobody likes OCs xD_**

**_So, I ended up focusing more on the Shun chapter and saw a review that made me laugh. Was pretty much something like _**

**_'Don't care for either, but this one seems to bore me less.'_**

**_Anyway, it was a guest review, and well . . ._**

**_ Don't like, don't read. I'm not putting a gun to your head adn telling you to read my content . . . _**

**_I only did it to one person_**

**_Lawson, I hope you're not scared of me after that Q.Q Love you.  
_**

**_Anyway, here's chapter 30. Flashback chapter, adds a little more to how Shun and Yang first started hanging out, and what made Shun the fighter she is._**

**_As always, please leave a review and stuff. I'm gonna go take a nap v.v_**

* * *

**Chapter 30 - Not Fast Enough  
**

_It burns . . . Every inch of me burns with agonizing pain . . . why am I still moving? How is she still fighting with her wrist nearly broken and one of her ribs crushed . . . I should have aimed for a vital._

My legs, my arms and my breathing hurt to no end. She's been peeling my flesh with every cut, leaving me with blood dripping from my limbs until I start to feel cold. If I keep this up I could end up in bad shape . . . then again, I also took off my intercom while Mr. Qrow was speaking . . . Either way I'm dead meat.

Yet, through all this I can't help but feel . . . excited. Not just excited . . . but aroused.

She's in a little worse condition than me, but she's still holding her own despite me damaging her blade-wielding hand as well as one of her left ribs which hurts the posture she relies on for offense and defense.

I've only gotten this feeling once before. It was back then . . . when I first unlocked my semblance's true potential. I didn't know it at first, but it's what started my path to becoming what I am today.

* * *

**(3.5 years ago)**

"You sure you're up for this, Kid? That Xiao Long ain't a pushover." Brandon calls from outside the ring while I'm just finishing with getting my MMA gloves secured.

"I hope not. I need some excitement for the next couple of months. It'll suck having to beat a skill-less boxer for the rest of my time on Patch." I counter.

"You still going on about leavin' us? You ain't exactly fit to be outside'a Patch, y'know?"

"Hey, I gotta set goals for myself. I'm gonna make it big and come back with some presents for everyone. Help you fix up that run down house of yours, get Angelica those outfits she's been wanting. Hell, I'll even get that deer Faunus enough thread to dress a Nevermore." I gloat.

"You and your dreams . . . There's your opponent. Let's see what you can do." Brandon gestures across the ring towards the short blonde climbing her way in with a serious aura surrounding her.

"You need a moment to relax? You're gonna make it too easy for me." I call out with a growing grin that only manages to piss off my opponent.

"How about you put your hands up and stop acting like you've won already?" Yang shouts at me. With her growing anger I take notice in her change of eye-color. The bright, blood-red sticks out, but also compliments the bright yellow of her hair.

After going into the changing room she now has on a black sports bra with some fancy simple over the left breast. Her shorts go down just shy of her knees and has the same emblem on the right thigh. While I'm analyzing her outfit my attention gets drawn to the bright yellow boxing gloves she raises while assuming her own boxing stance, but her form completely destroys any hope I have.

Her elbows are a little too far from her body, her knees aren't bent enough, and above all her left hand seems to be too far in front of her to get a decent jab off. Overall they're minor things to be upset about, but it opens her up for easy exploitation, and I will be making certain to use everything to my advantage.

"Alright . . . don't let up after your first hit, Shun . . . you'll regret it." Brandon snickers before chiming the bell for the two of us to start.

_Idiot . . . I only need one kick to end it._

I look on as Yang starts to inch herself towards me. She extends her left hand out to measure my distance from her, seeming to forget that I'm in this as an MMA fighter. When I deem her close enough I throw out my right foot and kick her extended fist away before she can take another step closer, surprising her at the sudden motion.

"Here's a word of advice . . . I'm a kickboxer. I kick high, low, fast and slow. If you lower your guard once . . . you're done for."

While I'm finishing my explanation she's already taking the liberty of stepping in again, but this time lunging at me with a left body shot.

Instead of going for an easy kick to her shoulder I circle to my left to move away from the punch as well as get behind the amateur boxer. With a fire in her eyes she turns back around to face me and goes on to throw a flurry of quick jabs that I resort to blocking with my forearms. Despite her poor form she hits exceptionally hard. The raw power that she has in her punches starts to peak my interest into wondering how strong she can be if she were to fix her stance.

_. . . I suppose teaching her a few things now wouldn't hurt_.

With her next left hook I step in and use my right arm to hook her wrist. At the same time I raise my left hand to freeze her right hand from moving while I use my right foot to slide her feet into a better position.

"Toes forward. You have no center of gravity. Bend your knees slightly . . . and keep your right hand closer to your face. I'll kick your head off next time you lower your guard." I let go of her hands and take a couple of steps back to give a sizable gap between us.

I can't help but treasure the puzzled look on her face while she registers my advice and begins to adapt it into her stance rather well. She seems hesitant to advance on me again, but after a couple of seconds she lunges in once more and goes in with a series of jabs that seem to have a little more base to them. Instead of blocking the barrage a second time I start to back away until I find an opening to lick her leading leg right below the knee. As expected she doesn't see it coming, but she doesn't even flinch and goes on to connect with a left hook that sends me against the ropes.

_What the hell? Not even an ounce of pain on her face?_

I follow up with another low kick that she takes without any form of problem. I'm forced to cover myself as a barrage of jabs and alternating body shots start to rain down. She's a machinegun of a fighter for sure – high rate of fire, but terrible accuracy.

_Okay . . . she throws hard and in bunches. I'll have to be fast . . . and rougher_.

I wait for another one of her left punches to be thrown before I duck underneath and switch places with her. A single rough shove against the ropes turns into a mixed barrage of jabs, body shots, knees and kicks all coming to show her I am just as capable in returning the favor.

I expect her to cover up and try to defend from the barrage. Instead she keeps her hands close to her face and slams her left foot on top of my right foot. I try to pull my foot away in retaliation, but she puts an impressive amount of weight on it that keeps me in place.

Her next punch is a thing of beauty, even when it is coming straight towards my head. Her right hand comes straight towards me with deadly accuracy and purpose. Her eyes are staring at me right through her long, blonde bangs. It's such a brief showing of determination and arrogance . . . enough to piss me off much more than earlier.

I bring my left foot up without hesitation as quick as I can. Somehow I manage to beat the speed of her perfect right-straight and kick her hand up to force the punch to miss me just barely. I'm amazed that despite my kick she still managed to graze my hair. I sent my foot up with all of my might, yet that only deviated her punch slightly. She's strong . . . a little too strong for my liking.

Given that I've only just learned boxing a couple of months ago and converted into kickboxing soon after. In short, I'm a novice with this fighting style . . . but someone I respect immensely told me that this would be more suited for me. If he says so, then I'll follow it blindly . . . I owe too much to go against him.

After her punch is thrown I take her arm and use it to flip her over my shoulder. Judo is probably the last thing I will ever use, but she's a little too heavy to simply tug my foot free. While she's on the floor I back into a corner to give her time to get up and prepare for the earful from Brandon.

"Shun! What the hell!? Just cause it's an MMA match doesn't mean you can go throwing her to the floor! You know your fighting style! Do that crap again and you're done." He shouts as expected.

"Yeah, yeah. I just needed a little reset. She's annoyingly durable." I call out to him.

"You haven't noticed it yet, have you?" Brandon starts to chuckle at me for some reason.

"Noticed what?" I question, but before I get an answer I feel the ring shake and redirect my attention to another beautiful right cross that I dodge without a problem and retreat to the center of the ring.

"Hit'er a little more and you'll see!" He calls out with a hearty laugh.

_I swear I'm going to buy a pitcher of red dust and sprinkle it on him one of these days._

Out of pure anger I lunge at her with my own left cross. She raises her right arm to guard and I immediately transition into throwing out my left arm to send myself into a clockwise spin. After the full rotation I raise my left leg and send it into her guard with my entire momentum thrown into it.

I stand in complete shock as my kick sends her flying between the second and third rope, but instead of hitting the floor and tumbling she manages to flip herself into a perfect summersault and stick her landing with a smile on her face and a faint glow around her body.

_What the hell is she? She can't be a boxer. She has unbelievable power and balance . . . but no knowledge in boxing itself. She's not even that old . . . what is she, 14? 15?_

"You done it now, Shun! Oh-hoho, this is gonna be a good one!"

"B-Brandon, what the hell is she!?" I scream while the girl starts to crawl back into the ring. I keep a lookout for her out the corner of my eye while I talk to Brandon, not wanting to be victim to a blindside-cross.

"She's a freshman at Signal. She plans on being a Huntress . . . everything about her is sub-human, but she doesn't have a proper style of fighting to hone it all. She's a brawler that wants to learn boxing . . . and she's completely unlocked her aura."

_So she's? Xiao Long . . . She's Mr. Xiao Long's kid? Why hasn't he taught her a proper stance? Why does she have this much power but a weak form? She's learning things backwards._

"Alright . . . so what's your semblance, Blondie?" I question, having a bad feeling about this entire situation after seeing that small glow.

"Heh . . . Ever hear the saying 'what goes around comes around'? Well that's my semblance."

Without much more of an explanation she lunges at me with the same right cross, but this time she leaps into it somewhat. It's coming out as more of a haymaker, giving way to her brawling style. The fact that she would throw a punch that's easy to dodge and has no defensive fallback to it makes me hate her arrogance even more.

_Want a power fight? You got it you little shit._

I lift up my left leg and throw it straight towards her fist to intercept her punch. On impact I feel a shiver erupt up my leg and shoot through my body with enough force to make my right knee buckle. She has a great follow-through on the formless punch and matches the power I threw into my kick perfectly before her body's momentum forces my kicking leg to bend and push her fist down to redirect the power rather than continue the challenge.

_She's too strong . . . why?_

"There you are! Ready to head home, Firecracker?" A rough, scratchy male voice calls out from the doorway. It's painfully familiar, but if I look now it may prove to be my downfall. This girl may only need one punch to end me.

"Hey Uncle Qrow!" Yang completely drops her guard to answer the call and confirm my suspicions on who it is. I keep my eyes on her a little longer to make sure she's abandoning the fight for the moment before I turn my attention towards the doorway to see the teacher I owe quite a bit to.

"Hm? Hey, Shun. She's not giving you too much trouble is she?" He questions with a smug look on his face.

"Psh. She has no form." I retaliate, dodging the fact that she's a bit of a handful to deal with.

"She doesn't . . . but her punches hurt, don't they? Why aren't you leaning on your left leg?"

I grit my teeth and look away. Her haymaker did have a bad effect on my leg and subconsciously I kept it bent to avoid leaning on it with the growing pain making itself known. I keep avoiding his gaze to the point that he turns his attention to Yang.

"And you . . . why are you flexing your right hand under that glove? I can see it moving."

"She has a strong kick, Uncle Qrow! It hurt my hand."

_Uncle? So she's his niece!? . . . That explains the monster strength_

"Of course she does. She's a cheetah Faunus, Firecracker. She's fast . . . you need to pin her in a corner with a bear trap and kick her while she's down. It's the only way to beat a fast opponent." He chuckles. "And you . . . you should know not to fight into your opponent's strengths. Use your speed. Bully her down until she can't stand . . . then you throw the finishing blow. Ring the bell, Brandon . . . I'm curious how long this will last."

_. . . I do know better. I guess I've never fought someone with this much power . . . I've always been stronger and faster . . . now I'm just faster. It's still enough to get the job done._

"Welp. Round 2. Go get 'em, Tiger!"

"Cheetah, you jerk! I'm a cheetah faunus!" I snarl before I turn my attention to my opponent.

She comes at me with complete confidence. After a couple minutes of wild swinging she's starting to shorten her motions to conserve energy. In turn that's sharpening out her form a little bit into something more respectable. As expected, her first couple of punches are jabs. I keep my guard up to block each, but get surprised that the power behind them come close to rivaling the strength of the first cross she threw.

_"Have you ever heard the saying 'what goes around comes around'?"_

_So that's her semblance?_

I grit my teeth and adapt to her growing power with reluctance. It's embarrassing enough to know that I can't handle her cross, but now that her jabs are starting to weaken my arms it's clear that everything she does is dangerous.

Each of her punches are all treat as her cross to me. Anything she throws is dodged, then countered with a kick to her calf or thigh. If she wants to be a boxer, then forcing her to guard low will be the most annoying thing. With each kick I throw the glow around her body starts to become brighter. Thankfully she doesn't seem to have knowledge on how to kick-check properly which makes my repeated strikes much simpler.

Eventually I see her left leg bend a significant amount from one of my kicks, complimented by a large black and blue I've turned into a target to abuse until she's unable to stand. She's on her last leg, bot figuratively and literally, but it seems she's aware of it too and takes an initiative I didn't expect.

She makes more of a point to close the gap between us. Every time I try to circle around her she cuts off my escape and pushes me back until her path-denials leave me dangerously close to the corner of the ring with no method of escape.

Knowing I'm the embodiment of a cornered mouse, she starts to rain down her jabs on my guard. Every single one feels like it'll break my arm if she manages to hit the same spot repeatedly. Anytime I try to push her away to give me room she pushes me right back into the corner. If I try to escape to her left to get away, she meets me with a left body shot that forces me to retreat from my escape attempt. I'm locked in with nothing to do but hold my ground until I collapse from the massive amount of building bruises. To think a mere kid can outmuscle me in the ring and turn me into a simple punching bag is humiliating.

"Shun! What the hell are you doing!? She's going to kill you if you don't do something!"

_Kill? She doesn't have that type of power . . . does she?"_

I lower my guard just slightly to peek over my gloves. The sight I'm exposed to practically stops my heart. The aura around her is a blinding yellow in comparison to the dim glow she had earlier. All of my kicks have been piling on and giving her a strength that I could only dream of. Accompanying that blinding light is a growing warmth I just now notice after being able to focus in on her face after all this time. My eyes have been bouncing between escape routes, her hands, and her injured leg that I've been trying my hardest to exploit.

Time practically freezes for the moment. I get to look at the bright red of her eyes that make a healthy rose look dull in comparison. She's strong, focused, and while her personality needs work . . . I have to say that she's beautiful. To think a girl is going to beat me in an actual fight . . . well, it's a turn on.

What? A girl can't have needs?

I can feel my pupils shrink when I see her right hand wind up and begin making its way towards me. I can practically feel the deadly intent . . . or rather the will to win completely melt me on the inside. There's no doubt in my mind that if she connects that there is a good chance I could very well die. I can't use my aura to guard like most others can . . . I'm different. I'm weak. Will I just be another KO to her growing count of the day?

Not like this.

_It only takes a split second to null the impact of a punch. What if by some miracle I can summon an aura to block with? _

I stare at that flaming punch, then into the red-eyes of my toughest opponent to date. It's odd, but for some reason I start to see less of her features the harder I try to stare and focus my aura. It gets to a point where I only see a blinding yellow around her . . . yet it's not any brighter than before. Her outfit, flesh, eyes, everything aside from that aura is dissipated.

A second look at her punch and it's going much slower than before. I can make out a simple escape by ducking underneath it, something I couldn't make out while under her endless barrage. I immediately begin to duck, yet at the same time her punch and her body motion seems to speed up until it resumes its normal speed and I'm just barely able to finish my escape.

A wave of cold air rushes over me and sends a shiver up my spine. Maybe it's because I just got away from that blazing heat that's radiating from her body, but I feel as if a large amount of my body heat just upped and left.

_Whatever that was . . . it just saved me_

With her cross no longer a threat and her back exposed, I take the initiative and leap towards her. My left leg goes high above my head and just as I near striking distance I swing it down to connect with the top of her head. The sheer weight, force, and the added momentum of my own descent help to bring her down with a kick I despise using.

_Yang Xiao Long . . . you're someone I can get along with for a very long time._

"Shun!" I turn my attention towards ringside to see Mr. Qrow climbing his way into the ring. "Are you alright? What the hell happened?"

_Why is he taking an interest in me when I just axe kicked his niece?_

"I'm fine . . . Shouldn't you be checking on her, though?"

"She's fine . . . she's down from exhaustion. She has no stamina. Can you still see alright?"

"I'm fine! What's the big idea? I'm still standing, aren't I?" I growl as one of my teachers practically baby's me.

"You're not seeing anything differently? Your eyes . . . they're . . . they changed color." He explains.

"What? Nothing happened." I answer, then recall the change in my perception when her cross came at me. "I mean . . . things slowed down a little bit when she threw that cross . . . it was . . . Everything was dark and . . . all I could see was her."

"Looks like you're just like her . . . your eyes change when you use it . . . Looks like you reached your peak, Kid. How about that?"

"When I use what?"

"Say . . . You've gotten the hang of kickboxing pretty quick I think adding a little more 'umph' to those kicks would be a pretty fun experiment. How about I put you on a muscle training regimen that can get you to surpass Yang's level?" The grin on his face tells me that there's more to it. Far more to it.

"Can we talk about this later, Mr. Qrow? I need a shower, and I want to make sure your niece is alright . . . you don't seem to care." I roll my eyes.

"Hey, I know she's alright. She's too hard-headed to let that keep her down." He jokes before making his exit from the ring. "I'll be in your place. Key's still under that tile, right?"

"Yeah . . . See you there." I sigh and watch on as Mr. Qrow makes his exit. "Hey, Brandon. Get me a bucket and two bottles of water?" I request while I make my way towards the facedown blonde and work on flipping her over first.

"Not gonna throw her out the ring? Don't tell me you're fallin' for 'er." He teases, but for some reason that little comment bothers me more than his comments usually do.

"I ain't fallin' for nobody, Brandon. Just get the damn water!" I growl.

"Heh . . . get her a hairbrush. Long hair like that means she loves to take care of it." Brandon comments before finally walking away.

_Older geezer's gonna get it one of these days I swear._

I kneel down at her side and carefully turn her over. Surprisingly I see no blood or signs of heavy injuries on her body aside from the massive black and blue on her left thigh. It's peculiar to know I beat an opponent who has no injuries on their body that marks the effort put into a victory. It took consecutive kicks to a single spot she didn't know how to protect in order for her to have a bruise mark her flesh.

_So . . . that's what it's like to have aura? . . . If I could use it like that . . . I'd be unbeatable._

I sit myself down and cross my legs while I look down at the unconscious girl. Even after a fight and covered in sweat, she still has a radiance about her that makes me want to keep my eyes on her.

"All this because you can't kick check properly . . . I guess that's the first thing I'm teaching you." I say to no-one in particular.

The rest of my wait for Brandon passes by in silence. When he comes back he slides a bucket of water into the ring along with two plastic bottles of cold water. I reach into the bucket with both hands, drenching them in water before placing them over my face to wash away some of the drying sweat.

I then shift to my knees and pick up the bucket with both hands, tossing the rest of the water onto the blonde until she jumps up in surprise of the sudden shower. At first I see her eyes a beautiful shade of light-purple, but they soon shift to that familiar blood-red after she assesses the situation.

"What's the big idea!? You know how long it takes to dry my hair!?" She snaps at me

_. . . Okay, so maybe Brandon was right about the brush thing . . . I wonder when her Birthday is_

"Hey, we can't have you napping in the ring all night. Besides, your hair looks nice when it's wet." I whisper and roll out of the ring while snagging one of the two bottles of water. I make my way to one of the nearby benches and take a seat. Surprisingly, she's not too far behind and takes the seat next to me.

"So . . . tomorrow we have a rematch?" Her question comes with reluctance and it makes me turn my head to see the hateful stare in her eyes.

"Nah. I'm teaching you how to box properly . . . Your form is pathetic."

"What!? I almost beat you, though!" She counters and slams a fist down on the bench

"A loss is a loss. Your cross had an escape built into it and I took it. You put too much weight into it and it gave me ample time to counter attack. So yeah, maybe it was close . . . but your lack of form and technique gave me the win."

". . . Still don't understand how a Faunus without a semblance can beat me." She mutters.

"Excuse you? What makes you think I don't have a semblance? That little eye glare I gave you before our fight WAS my semblance." I snarl in retaliation to her wisecrack.

"Well, you can't have a semblance without aura . . . and all of my punches hit flesh without a doubt. Just look at your body."

I pause and look down at my arms and legs, noting the several bruises that indicate every single spot I was hit. With the fight over and the adrenaline beginning to leave my body, I start to feel a severe pain shoot through my abdomen. Her body shots were nothing to take lightly, either.

"Are you checking me out?" I question, purely to bother her but my intentions change when she quickly objects and starts to sport a growing blush.

"No I'm not you perv!" She shouts with every ounce of air in her lungs, forcing me to cover my ears momentarily.

"Alright, alright. Just messin' with you. I need to get home . . . I'll see you hear tomorrow, 8 PM sharp, got it?" My question is answered with a simple nod, a huge change from the heavy defiance that she's shown me so far. "By the way . . . I go to Signal too. Maybe I'll see you around?"

"Maybe." She smiles.

I leave things at that and make my exit from the ring. I decide to keep my gloves on since I'm heading home anyway. If Mr. Qrow is there, then he'll probably have some workout for me. I guarantee he was assessing me while I was facing his niece. He seems to find something for me to work on every other day.

* * *

**(Present)**

That night I was forced to reenact the actions that made my semblance trigger until I could do it at will. I was told the limits of it, what I can do to strengthen it . . . and strengthen myself. Fighting is all I have, and it's all I need. I won't lose to anyone. I won't let myself be beaten . . . not until Sunflower puts me down.

"You had enough yet, Shun?" The cocky heiress calls to me. Maybe it's the blood-loss, but I completely forgot I was in a fight just now. I guess she still has that effect on me . . . I need to get over her, already.

"You think I'm giving in? It's about time you learned that I'm not gonna bend over for a Schnee."

I dash in again. The same strategy, the same relentless barrage I'm known for. Everything syncing to that thrill of facing someone at my skill level. I'm a glutton for punishment, and a sucker for glory. I don't look at my bruises as mistakes, I look at them as my rite of passage. I don't have the blessings of an aura around me. I don't believe in the thought behind it anyway.

Aura is supposedly a manifestation of our soul. Something to bear our burdens and shield our hearts. It's all a bunch of crap. I don't need anything to bear my burdens. I don't need my heart to be shielded. My mistakes are mine to make, and the way I power through them form me. I'm not someone to rely on others. I won't let anyone shoulder my burdens. I guess with my ideologies I don't deserve to have something like that to rely on.

Our fight goes on until I'm eventually forced to kick off of one of her glyphs to build distance between us. I can't feel my arms from my body trying to numb the pain, and my legs are quivering under my own weight. I'll be embarrassed if I need to take off the very last bit of weight on me . . . It's not as much as what Qrow has me use for weight training, but it'll probably up my efficiency just enough to get through her guard for one hit.

"You know, for a Faunus out after dark . . . you're still pretty blind."

_. . . You're not the first person to say that either._

* * *

**(One month since the Yang fight)**

"Alright, and those are the people making the Varsity Track Team. Good work."

_Wow . . . last on the list. I seriously need to talk to Mr. Qrow about these weights. I almost didn't make it._

Everything's been going well since I met Sunflower. Eventually we tracked each other down at Signal and started to hang out a bit. Most times it's horsing around and threatening anybody who tries to call us a couple, but hey, it's fun.

It's a bright day out, the sun is setting over the distant trees, marking the start of the evening. Thankfully I was able to organize a couple of days off with my boss so I can do track. I'm lucky that he's a cool guy.

The field itself is standard size with grass filling the center of the large running area. The track is decorated with a reddish-tar with white lines to separate the different lanes. We're currently gathered in the center of the track, everyone on a knee while the coach finishes his closing words for us to leave.

I stand up among all the crouched peers trying out for the team. I'm just about to leave when I a whispered comment catches my attention immediately and makes me look around for the smartass that said it.

"Dude . . . should she even be allowed on the team? Isn't being a Cheetah faunus sort of cheating?"

". . . Which one of you are trying to lose your teeth? WHICH ONE!?" I shout I start peering at everyone in their blue and white T's until one person seems to be the most intimidated by my sudden rant. "It was YOU."

Gregory Lynch . . . junior. He's a pretty reserved person. Average build, average height, average grades. The only thing that sticks out about him is his combat ability, although he respects people that are clearly above his skill level. He's not a coward, but he knows when to pick his fights.

"So what's wrong with me being a Cheetah Faunus? You think I don't bust my ass? You think I don't have to work on my endurance? How about you go FUCK YOURSELF." I shout while I begin walking towards him. Surprisingly, everyone begins to make a path for me while I advance until there's nobody standing between me and him.

"Woah, I didn't mean it like that . . . I just thought other schools would try to use it as a way to disqualify us for something."

I really don't care for his arguments. Because of these weights I haven't een able to spar with Yang. We've done basic focus mitt training, a little boxing spars to work on her form, but I haven't had the ability to kick. I hate having my movement restricted, I hate having people discriminate against me because of my heritage.

Without thinking I fight all the fatigue in my body to lift up my left leg and swing it. It's nowhere near my usual speed, and as expected, his hands are up way before my kick arrives. The real surprise comes when my leg makes contact with his guard, but it proves ineffective.

Instead of my kick being deflected like it normally would, I feel my leg following through on the kick, breaking by his guard and eventually making contact with the side of his head until that momentum sends him into a backflip that leaves him face first in the dirt.

Surprisingly the track instructor says nothing. Nobody says a thing in fact. I don't even acknowledge the situation and choose to walk away after it's all said and done. Throughout it all I forget that sitting just outside the perimeter of the track is Yang. After track I told her that I'll head to the gym. She took it upon herself to wait for me since she '_doesn't have anything else to do_'.

"What was that about?" She asks when I get within arm's reach.

"Just some idiot. To the gym?" I ask, although I'm already set on heading there without her if she has something to linger around Signal for. I have enough of this place during the day. I just want to kick the heavy bag, work on my form, and then call it a day. It's a perfect cycle.

"Actually . . . I got tickets to this movie. I was gonna check it out." She says and reaches into her top to pull out the tickets from her cleavage.

"What, that new chick flick? Yuck." I shake my head.

"The action/comedy, genius. 'DeadFool'." She explains.

"Really? Going with that kid from your gym class? Been seeing you with him a lot." I question, and while her cheeks turn red she shakes her head and shoves me back a few feet.

"Ugh! Really?" She sighs. The sunset from earlier fades into the evening sky. The shadows of the early afternoon begin to blanket everywhere, marking the oncoming evening. "You know, for a Faunus out after dark, you're still pretty blind!"

"What?" I ask, then pause to register the situation, "Ohhhhhh. Sure, why not? You're sitting on my lap, though."

"What!? Why!?" She gives me a peculiar look, and I shrug my shoulders before responding.

"Because I said so. It's my condition." I joke, but the affirmative answer she gives me makes me decide to not embarrass her and simply roll with the joke taken seriously.

"Fine . . . but you're buying dinner."

"Pizza at my place it is."

* * *

**(Present)**

_Heh . . . Why am thinking of useless memories now? I have the rest of my life to reminisce on what could've been._

I raise my head and look straight ahead towards Weiss. She doesn't seem to be advancing on me, and based on the fading glow around her body, her aura is starting to reach dangerous levels. Another few hits and I'm certain to break through that mirror-shield of hers.

"Scared of a little blood, Ice Queen? I'm not done with you! FIGHT ME" I shout, trying to coax her into coming at me, although the recollection of my days with Yang does have me a little edgier than I would like to be.

"Shun, get over here! NOW!"

I ain't stupid, Ice Queen. You're-"

"You stupid Faunus! Look behind you!"

I bite on her warning and peek over my shoulder. Off to the right I spot another aura just barely, but I keep turning my head until I am looking behind me. As expected, there's nothing there. I keep a mental note of that distant aura, ready to counter if I spot it move suddenly.

"I'm stupid for thinking there's really something back there. You stupid twerp!" I growl and begin assuming my stance, debating if I should wait out her patience or move in myself, but that aura off to my right keeps me from moving. At least until a heavy gust blows by me and out the corner of my eye I see a figure coming for my back.

The speed is unrivaled, and their trajectory appears to be going behind me rather than directly towards me. To compensate for that, I lift my left leg and begin to swing it behind my back, catching the speed demon with their own momentum, sending the figure backflipping from the kick until they're face first in the dirt. I take a good look at the aura, then go back to my normal vision to see that it's Ruby.

"So that's it? A pathetic double team attempt? You two are sad." I snarl.

I lower to a knee at Ruby's side, seeing she's still disoriented from the kick she ran into. I make quick work of delivering a sharp elbow to her neck and shoulder, securing my continued one-on-one with Weiss.

When I stand back up I trigger my semblance again and make a rapid acceleration towards the heiress. I picture what Ruby may have been trying to do and use that in my next attack. As I near her I aim to go by her, but as I pass I spin myself, getting a relatively weak, but decent kick to her back without giving her a chance to react. At the same time I'm also able to pass over the mud pit and ice rink she managed to create thanks to the dust she has stored away in that weapon of hers.

With the simple pass I look ahead to a tree that's coming close, ready to use it to ricochet back at her for a follow up. Yet, as I near the tree I end up hitting something I have no sight on. It's something large enough to stop me in my tracks, yet isn't glued to the floor since I did feel myself move it slightly. I push myself off of the large figure and deactivate my semblance to see what I could have possibly hit that could escape my special vision.

I'm met with a face-to-face stareoff with a giant Ursa. The large, terrifying form stands upright, making me look up in complete shock. I can feel every ounce of adrenaline leave my body and get replaced by a heart-clenching feeling that screams for me to run. I try to raise one of my legs, anything to help me get away from the large creature that's staring down at me with the sharp, deadly fangs exposed.

My inability to react to the frightening presence leaves me completely exposed as one of its large claws begin to swipe at me. There's nothing I can do to react to it. My heart is practically stopped, my brain is turned off and my limbs are weak, possibly from the blood loss and the lack of adrenaline. The last thing I see before everything disappears are those blood red eyes, and deep in the back of my head I can hear a voice call out to be. A familiar, yet painful phrase that tears my emotions every which way.

_You know, for a Faunus out after dark, you're still pretty blind_


	31. A Tale of Two Kitties

_So, I wasn't even gonna have this ready today, but I've gotten so many reviews of people who've caught up that keep saying they love my content. There was one person who said he didn't like the flashback, but he was polite about it so I actually read his review consciously.  
_

_See, don't mind people saying my content is bad, or saying that I did poor execution, but be polite and add details to support your opinion. Otherwise you seem saltier than a League of Legends player and I just toss the salt over my left shoulder. _

_Anyway, I've been working on one of my other stories **The Alignment of Falling Stars. **For those of you that don't know, it's just an AU where Cinder meets Neo. It's actually a break off from A Beacon of Hope back in like Chapter 30 or so where I referenced it. It takes a bit of a darker turn (Not by much) so it may be a good read if anyone hear likes Cinder x Neo (What's the ship called?)._

_As for what review actually made me want to finish this quickly, well . . .someone said they were bed ridden and I put them through some trauma cause they caught up to my story. I was bedridden and ended up reading FF for a while...then turned to writing it, so I kind of was stuck in a 'I know how you feel' sort of zone since I've been waiting for **A Bloody Rose** to get out of update hell for the longest xD._

_So, here's Chapter 32 . ..You guys should detect something that may end up happening pretty soon . . . I'm gonna love hurting feelings._

_Also . . . I told you guys a long time ago at how I was upset over a crappy commission. Well, I work at the YMCA now (I can see the song lyrics in the reviews now). Anyway, if anyone around here does RWBY drawing and so on, it'd be awesome to drop me a PM . . . I promise not to bite . . . unless it's you, AceWolfeblade,_

* * *

_**Chapter 31 - A Tale of Two Kitties**_

_I should've stayed and watched. I could've helped. I let my strategy and emotions get the better of me and I ended up getting two people hurt._

About thirty minutes ago the scroll I've been making use of was contacted. According to the message there's a possibility of a fatality thanks to a Grimm attack. The only person I can think of who would have trouble against a Grimm would be an exhausted Weiss, or Shun since she can't block with aura.

I'm currently in one of the two large Rapunzel-like towers that oversee a vast amount of the Schnee backyard. As you may have guessed, neither of those towers are my dwelling. One belongs to Shun, and the other well . . . think hard on that.

"You alright over there, Kittycat?" I hear someone call out to me.

"Yeah . . . We're heading back to the mansion in the morning." I respond.

_I told her not to hold back . . . I ended up being the one to pull my punches._

I look down at my right hand and sigh, recalling what happened earlier that changed my goals for the time being.

* * *

**(Earlier that day.)**

I keep still while staying high in one of the many trees within the forest. There's been a passive commotion around one of the towers and it's gotten to the point where I heard explosions, and even Ruby open fire on it. Below me I can hear a scuffle continue and without hesitation I dig Gambol Shroud into the thick bark of the tree and use my ribbon to begin rappelling down to inspect the commotion.

I'm surprised to see that it's Shun and Yang going at it. Both of them seem to be fighting with all they've got, yet both of them are far from using their respective forms. Each one is keeping the other off-balance, not allowing a proper stance to be taken and truly testing their skills and reflexes. From my view it looks like Shun has the advantaged, at least until Yang activates her semblance and the Cheetah Faunus appears to freeze in some sort of shock, resulting in a powerful punch that sends her flying away.

Afterwards an advancing Yang goes in for the finish but is kicked away, granting Shun a chance to retreat without Yang catching a glimpse of where she went. Unsuspectingly, Yang wanders underneath the tree I am hanging from and leans against the wall to begin assessing her wounds.

_. . . This is almost too easy_.

I smirk to myself, then carefully coil the ribbon of my Gambol Shroud around my right leg to help hang me upside down. I then carefully unwrap it one curl at a time with my left leg to lower myself closer and closer to Yang until my head is just above hers.

_. . . Goodnight._

Without warning I swing one arm around Yang's neck and squeeze. With the other arm I cover her mouth and carefully tug her upwards to force her onto her tippytoes without any hope of breaking the hold.

"Shhh . . . Just take a nap, Yang . . . I love you." Within seconds of me saying that, all of her struggling stops for some reason and I feel a small sensation on my palm before she finally fades. I carefully take my hand off of her mouth and recognize the faint traces of liquid on it, identifying it as saliva based on process of elimination.

_Was she kissing my hand? Why would she-_

A stake drives itself through my heart as I think on what I said. My eyes widen and a difficulty to breathe forces me to lower myself down to the grass and lay beside the unconscious brawler.

_. . . I think that's the first time I ever said 'I love you' to her._

* * *

**_(Present)_**

So after that, I couldn't just call in to get her taken away . . . Not after saying that. I mean, what kind of message would that leave? That I just said it to mess with her head, and that's not what it was at all. With all the excitement from watching her fight and being able to catch her off guard with a new tactic I . . . I felt so much excitement and happiness that those words came out.

I guess I just never found the perfect time to say it . . . or worried that when I did say it that it would change things a little between us. I never used those words before . . . not even with him.

After I took care of Yang, I carried her back to her tower and left her there while I went back out. Eventually I found Ruby spying on a fight between Shun and Weiss. After that I made my way back and caught a message with details on what happened. Shun, Weiss, and Ruby are all in bad shape. Ruby and Weiss both have a few cuts and gashes, but nothing too serious. Quite frankly, Ruby's gone through worse with Yang's hook. Shun on the other hand . . . apparently she took three strikes from an Ursa. It's a miracle she's breathing.

Weiss took out four Grimm that were surrounding them, but not before they got their claws on Shun and Ruby. It's all a mess, and I chose to leave rather than stay in the area. I figured to leave Ruby to handle things from there and I'll leave the victor(s) of it all a mystery.

I told Yang about what happened, but kept it simple: Ruby, Weiss, and Shun got hurt. They're all fine, but the free-for-all is off because of it. Surprisingly it was Weiss' father that called everything off . . . I guess he must have some kind of concern for the wellbeing of people . . . or he didn't want the bad publicity of someone dying on his property, especially a faunus.

"Why so blue, Kittycat? Everything's fine, right?" Yang walks to me and sits herself down at my side.

I'm currently leaning against a stone wall, rather close to the fireplace that's set up in Yang's tower. The room is circular with wooden floors and has minimal furniture on this level. The only thing that sticks out is the fireplace, and what appears to be a black recliner/loveseat built into one item. There are several pieces of art along the walls, but nothing that immediately catches my fancy.

As Yang seats herself at my side I wonder if I should tell her exactly what happened. How do I tell her that her first love is in critical condition? Weiss and Ruby are fine by all means . . . they are somewhere that has all the resources to nurture them as well as Mr. Xiao Long, but if Shun's in as bad as a condition as I assume, then she is in a whole different scenario.

I can't tell Yang about this for her own good. Especially after that look of elation she gave me when she first saw me after I choked her into dreamland.

"Nothing, Yang. Just a little surprise that things only ended after one night. It's pretty anticlimactic. Imagine reading a book that hypes everything up for so long . . . then just turns out to be a simple end."

"Psh, I wouldn't know, books are your thing." She snickers and drapes her right arm over my shoulders. "Did you mean it?"

I raise an eyebrow at Yang's question. First off there was a long pause between her question and her comment about books, so I assume her question is unrelated since she has the bad habit of bouncing between subjects.

"Did I mean what?" I tilt my head and look at her. She only meets my gaze briefly, then looks straight ahead of her and shakes her head. The smile on her face disappears as well.

"Nothing."

I decide not to question her more and use my own thoughts to process what the question could be on, leading me to a simple assumption after a few seconds. With Yang still looking forward I drape my arms around her neck and lean towards her ear with a smile, ready to answer her question my own way.

". . . I love you."

I feel a shiver erupt through her body when I utter those words into her ear. It's enough to make me laugh at how a mere three words can have an effect on her. It's cute to say the least.

"Odd time for you to say it, but I'll take what I can get." She teases, and I know exactly what she means.

"Sorry I didn't say it in the shower. I was kind of trying to remember my own name at the time." I counter, drawing a blush to her face that makes me want to whisper it again just to see how red I can make her. "Besides, we haven't had a lot of alone time since that night to really reflect on things."

"Oh? Was I that good?" She asks, clearly wanting her ego to be fed.

"I guess you were okay . . . although I did have to deal with a hairball afterwards." I tease, leading to Yang pushing off of me and crossing her legs in a very conservative manner.

"Not funny, Blake!" She shouts, revealing that bashful tone and attitude I see so little of. "You know I'm sensitive about that!"

"Well you shouldn't be, not with me at least. I told you then that I don't mind it much. Honestly, I think you look good with it. Blonde's a rare color that goes well with pink." I smirk, continuing to tease her.

"Blake, I swear I'm going to-"

"Pet the kitty tonight?" I grin and reach to my pants to tug the side down, revealing I'm still wearing the pair I bought from Patch that read 'Have you pet the kitty tonight?' From my question and gesture she turns away, retreating from our little battle of words. "Come on, Yang. You should be able to talk with me like this."

"It's . . . not that." She murmurs.

"Then what is it?" I ask. I move onto my knees and crawl behind her. I place my hands on her shoulders and give her a soft rub while I wait for her response. My touch to her shoulders makes her lean back to rest her head on my chest while also granting her the ability to tilt her head back and look up to my eyes.

"Don't make me spell it out . . ." She whimpers this time. I look down at her, seeing the redness in her cheeks. Her breathing seems to be a little heavier as well, which is very easy to see thanks to the size of her bust along with the easy view I have of it.

"Yang, we're in a stone tower in the middle of a forest, how do you find time to-"

"Because it's you!" She shouts and breaks eye contact. "My feelings don't change, Kittycat."

"You're hopeless."

"Not when you're with me."

Her counter lands its mark and makes me blush this time. I sigh and sit myself down, pulling Yang back to lean against me while I seat myself against the wall. For the most part I'm usually the one getting embraced, but I suppose a little switch once in awhile is a good thing.

"If you think I'm doing this on a dusty floor then you've lost your mind." I say to her in a blunt tone.

"Doing . . . what?"

"What do you think? I can't leave you like that." I sigh and tighten my arms around her. "There's some responsibility to take."

"B-Blake, I didn't mean- I mean . . . I wasn't saying that you shou- I umm . . . I can take care of it myself." She settles on something to say finally and nods her head rapidly.

"Yang . . . it wasn't up for question." I say to her. There's a surprised look in her eyes and unexpectedly, she begins to move away from me.

"Blake? You alright?" She asks while shifting onto her knees. "I'm all for having my Kittycat meow . . . but you're usually a little more . . . reserved? I think that's the right word."

_Is she seriously turning me down? She's . . . Ugh, she can be such a dunce! . . . I guess that's one of the reasons I love her so much, though._

"Yang, I'm fine. Now come here." I demand, gesturing her to come towards me with open arms, ready to embrace my brawler.

"Blake, I . . . I'm not sure you're totally thinking right. How about we-"_Does she really think I'm uncertain about this? I know her far better than this . . . She's lusty, and quite honestly . . . I can't forget what she did to me that first time . . . She has me hooked on her, but I'm more focused on getting her needs sated. Is she really going to try to avoid what she NEEDS? _"- so, how's that sound?"

"Y-yeah . . . Sounds good." I answer, not sure what I'm agreeing to.

"Great! I'll get my scroll!" Yang says before disappearing without a word. While she's gone I decide to start focusing my aura as carefully as I can. I have a plan to see if she's telling the truth or not . . . a fun little game I've done once before. I wonder if Yang's a more entertaining player.

_She's always been this way . . . Hiding her feelings to make me feel safer in our relationship. She never goes further unless I move the tempo I guess the only thing I can do is push things into her comfort zone._

Before Yang can get back I manage to focus my aura enough to form a clone that I leave in my place while I take the chance to hide nearby. I find myself hiding on the other side of the nearby fireplace, granting me a spot out of sight, but also close enough to see what is going on should my curiosity get the better of me.

"Blakey~ I found it!" Yang's cheery voice fills the room.

"Took you long enough." My doppel answers

"Hey, I had to find my files too! But, the good news is that I was able to grab an anime I think you'll like. It's called Ga Rei: Zero."

_I've actually haven't seen that one . . . It's on my watch list. I'm impressed._

"It's something I haven't seen yet. How about we move to the chair?"

The chair closest to the area is in front of the fireplace, but facing away. If I had to guess, Yang possibly placed it that way so she can let her hair get grazed by the heat of the flame while she sits back to relax. I patiently wait for her and my clone to get in position before I stand up to make my move. Throughout my time with Yang, Weiss and Little Red . . . I'm still the opportunist I've always been, and that is something that won't change about me.

"You know, Kittycat . . . There's something a little off about you."

I freeze in place and peek around the fireplace to look at Yang while she speaks to my doppel.

"Oh? And what's that?"

". . . You're colder than usual. There's no twinkle in your eye like I normally see. Did I say something wrong earlier?"

_Can she really tell the difference between me and my clone? I balanced my aura perfectly with it!_

"You think too much on these things, Yang. Why would you think that?" My clone questions in a tone that perfectly mimics my own.

". . . No reason . . . I just don't like it when you try to switch places on me. How about you stop hiding?"

_She knew . . ._

"You know, you're no fun at times." I finally answer her. I stand up from my hiding spot and move into view. The doppelganger I created disappears in the process, leaving Yang ample room to turn herself and face me.

"I'm totally fun . . . you weren't paying attention earlier, were you?" The tall blonde stands up from the chair and walks over to me with a radiant smile on her face. "I say 'no' to something you know I want and your ears turn off, and you call me the dense one." She taunts.

"What are you talking about?" I growl and make a point to lift my right leg and step on her foot. The initial impact makes her flinch, but soon after she's back to smiling down at me.

"I said 'how about we ease into the mood a bit. A little anime near the fireplace to see if you're _really_ up for it. I don't want anything rushed or forced between us . . . I'm pretty set on doing this right'. You didn't hear any of that, did you?" My jaw drops partially at the fact that I was so spaced out and shocked that she said 'no', I practically lost myself to thought.

"I might have . . ." I look away from her and take my foot off of hers, "missed that part . . . just a little bit. I get the chair."

"If I'm too heavy for you, let me know, 'kay?" Yang swings an arm around me and gives me a little nudge towards the seat. With her guidance I sit myself on the large, black recliner. It's not long before she's standing in front of me to join. She carefully pushes my knees apart and sits herself between the space she just created, then leans back to place her weight against me. I can tell she's not resting herself fully, possibly out of worry that her weight may be a little uncomfortable for me. I start to feel along the side of the chair, searching for a lever to make the recliner do what it's made for, but instead I find a couple of buttons that I begin to experiment with.

Luckily, the first button I press makes the backrest of the chair lean back and the leg rest raise. At the change of position I watch as Yang does her best to maneuver onto her side and lay her head on my left shoulder. With her left hand she carefully places the scroll on the right armrest of the recliner and starts the anime she promised.

An entire hour goes by, along with three episodes. From the hour that has passed, Yang and I have adopted a slightly new position. Instead of her laying her head on my shoulder, she has her head on my chest and has switched to laying on her stomach while still holding her scroll on the armrest. The new position makes it easier to plant a random kiss on her forehead, which I have been doing at varying intervals just to relay my affections. Since the second episode Yang managed to pull out a box of strawberry pockies, something I recall Weiss buying during our stay on Patch. We've been quietly munching on the small wafer sticks and are down to only a couple left while the fourth episode plays.

"Oh, this is my favorite part!" Yang suddenly shouts while we watch.

"Wait, you've seen this before?"

"Duh, I needed to make sure I liked it. Now shush!"

I watch on with Yang as the scene changes to the back seat of the car. The two main characters (both female) appear to be having a regular conversation that turns into one of them snatching the last pocky from a nearby box. I go wide-eyed as the other one bits onto one end of the pocky while it is still held by the person who took it, leading to a stare down that turns into the pocky game.

_Of course this would be her favorite part . . . is that why she-?_

"Last pocky's mine!" She shouts before taking it from the box. She gives me a distinct look out the corner of her eye while she starts to bite into it. It's a look that's so taunting and inviting that I can't help but accept her challenge in full

"You wish." I retaliate and bite into the nearest end of the pocky stick.

"Oh? Blakey's getting brave." Yang raises the other end to her lips and bites into it.

Yang had this planned from the very start: Having me watch a cute clip of the pocky game, then playfully taunting me into it herself. I wouldn't be surprise if that was the only reason she ended up liking this anime.

I begin to nibble my way towards Yang while she mirror's my pace. I doubt either of us are focused on eating more than the other. If anything, I look at this as an appetizer for what is to come. The way Yang embraces me is special . . . dare I say 'addictive' in its own right. Her kisses are something I've grown accustomed to receiving to the point that if I don't get at least one from her, I realize it immediately and seek to correct the problem.

While the strawberry wafer continues to disappear between our lips, our eyes lock onto each other. I can see the amber reflection of my own stare in her beautiful lilac stare. She's so gentle when she wants to be. Her left hand has avoided touching me for the most part, but now makes itself known when she rests it on my cheek and begins to caress my cheek.

I push my head towards her caress, welcoming her caring and loving touch without shame or embarrassment. When our lips get close enough I begin to inch backwards, denying Yang's advancing nibbles until she starts to crawl forward on the recliner to shorten the distance. My small retreat is brought to a screeching halt when her growing impatience shows in her actions. Her left hand remains a gentle caress, but her right hand slams down on the reclined backrest to place itself directly above my left shoulder, denying me any more room to retreat.

The added momentum of her palm sends the recliner tilting backwards until it tilts too far to recover. The surprise of having the seat collapse brings me to cling onto Yang while she seemingly locks herself in position to absorb the impact.

When the back of the chair hits the floor our position becomes slightly modified. First off, my nails are scratching into Yang's flesh from my brief startle. My right knee is now between her legs and my left is wrapped around her waist from me clinging to the safest object around me.

Yang has both of her hands on either side of my head, her hands being the only thing that stopped her weight from collapsing on top of me. After we both establish that we're safe and no harm was done, the two of us share a loud series of laughter in unison. To go from a playful kiss to laughing uncontrollably makes me realize just how comfortable I am around Yang in comparison to our days prior to the prom. The two of us have come a long way, and we haven't even scratched the surface of our time together.

"Hey, Blake?"

My ears twitch and I immediately turn my head to stare into lilac eyes.

"Hm?"

I watch as Yang begins to settle herself down. She lowers her chest to rest just below mine and lays her head on my shoulder with an absent stare but with that always present smile on her face.

I'm sorry." She mutters, but her apology only brings up more questions.

"For?" I ask then carefully raise my knee to apply a small amount of pressure and friction along her black short shorts. I pay close attention, noting the shiver that runs through her body. She doesn't make an attempt to move away, but instead starts to slide herself from my knee, all the way up my thigh, and then back to her starting point. She readjusts her hands, placing them on my shoulders to help give her a little leverage on her movements.

"W-what were we talking about?" Yang mutters without stopping her movements. She's shamelessly lewd, yet it's also cute to be honest.

_You're lucky I'm feeling nice, otherwise I'd stop and make you answer._

"Nothing, Yang. Just relax."

I reach down to guide her hair off to the side, exposing the top of her head, chest, and a decent view of her entire body from my current position. Both of us are completely overdressed, but I don't plan on having an all-out lovefest with Yang right now. No matter which way you put it, we're still at Schnee Manor and I'm still at the top of my guard

Yang eventually lets her weight settle on my leg, allowing me to take over with moving my leg to build a friction against her core. That sweet, nearly forgotten scent of hers blesses my nose, reminding me of the three intimate times her and I have shared. It times like these that I begin to truly tune in to every little sound and action around me. You don't need words to learn about someone . . . you only need to look at them close enough.

It doesn't hurt that that I read the proper material for such an occasion either.

"You know, you never did tell me your sweet spots." I whisper into Yang's ear. That beautiful, toned blonde lets out loud, hot huffs against my neck. The tingling against my flesh from her merely breathing on me is enough to send a shiver through my body. I tear my eyes from her face so I can trace them down her body and see how the rest of her is reacting to me.

The first thing I'm drawn to are the heavy expansions and contractions of her chest. Each and every breath she takes makes her voluptuous chest expand and flaunt themselves despite having a majority of them covered by her top, something I intend on correcting immediately.

I keep my right hand on Yang's back, also using that hand to keep her hair brushed out of her face so I can see every little change in her facial expressions. My left hand starts to wander down her shoulder and over the front of her body. The slow trailing and indirect path my fingers take to her cleavage makes her attempt to inch away from the slight tickle of my touch until I finally get my fingers off of her clothing and onto the warm flesh of one of her larger assets.

In response to my touch she arches her back and so willingly pushes her chest forward to get my hand into her top. It's no wonder Yang enjoys being in control . . . it's soothing to be able to look down and know you're the cause for those faces, and seeing the way she squirms on top of the dampness along my knee and thigh from the firm grindings already has me addicted.

She's not making much noise, probably out of stubbornness of being the one on the receiving end for once. However, the faces she makes make up for that tenfold. On occasion she opens her eyes to look up at me, but quickly breaks away each time after seeing the pure elation on my face.

"Come on, Yang . . . it's no fun if you're not enjoying yourself~. Where are those sweet spots?" I ask, followed by a playful bite to her neck that results in one of her legs kicking the arm of the fallen recliner. "Oops . . . I found one."

I direct my attention towards Yang's neck now. My leg maintains its motion of raising and dropping to keep Yang grinding against it. I move my lips a little higher on her neck and press my teeth against her skin a second time. I slowly tighten my jaw, waiting for that same kick and then hold there while she practically spasms on my leg.

_That was a little deep . . . Yang, don't tell me you're a masochist . . . I wonder if . . ._

To test things out I pull away from her neck and lay my chin on her golden mane once again. I stare down her back, eying her hips and ass. I don't know what she finds so appealing about 'The Bellabooty' when she has something larger, shapelier, and I believe a little more squeezable. Regardless, I reach down with my left hand to lift the back of her shirt enough to expose her lower back to me. I then lean down so I can tug her skirt down just enough to expose half of her gash and a good portion of her rear.

I start by dragging my nails along her lower back, simply testing the waters for the moment. I take notice that her aura isn't up for now and take the initiative to press my nails in just a little harder. I watch as four white trails begin to form on her skin, but then disappear soon after thanks to the healing effect of her aura.

I wait a second and do the same motion over the exact same spot, this time applying just a little more pressure, just enough to scratch and make her skin swell, but not deep enough that she actually starts bleeding. I'm surprised to feel her weight practically double on my thigh. I can feel Yang's breathing against my chest and neck pick up the longer I rake my fingers along her lower back and rear. It's not much longer until Yang's squirming moves to a grinding halt . . . pun intended.

I can't help but recall the first time I kissed Yang . . . the way she found my spots, and how she managed to do so much to me without a lot of effort. I can't help but think of the mess she had me make on my bed that day as I feel a seeping wetness press against my thigh. The way her calves and thighs spasm makes it clear of what just happened, yet she managed to keep herself quiet throughout . . . She's adorable.

"Yang? You alive down there?" I ask, moving my head to Yang's cheek to kiss it over and over until she finally responds.

"Blake . . . I love you." She finally mutters after her cheek has a small amount of saliva on it. This time around there's not an ounce of hesitation. I roll Yang to the side so I can look into her eyes. Those beautiful, glistening lilac eyes that have taken me since prom. I lean in and press my lips to hers. A simple peck that makes both of us smile.

"I love you too, Yang. Forever and always."

We wrap our arms around each other and take a couple of minutes to lie together in silence. The only noises present are our heavy breathes and the crackling fire nearby. I can feel Yang's heart pounding through the fabric of our clothes to vibrate my chest, and just as I tune in to that wonderful pattern, she speaks up and breaks my concentration.

"Hey, Blake?" She asks and looks at me with a smile.

"Hm?"

"Thanks . . . for understanding . . . about everything?" She takes the chance to lean up and kiss me, but I raise my own hand to stop her lips in their tracks with two fingers pressing to them.

"Elaborate." I say. She sighs and nods her head before inching away so she can prop herself higher up on her side with her elbow.

"Y'know . . . That I'm serious about you . . . that I like you for you . . . and well . . . the fact that you weren't upset when you knew very well I still had feelings for Shun . . . you just accepted it and left it there. Blake, you and her and both so important to me . . . you're _obviously_ more important . . . but I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to either one of you. I'd probably curl up and block myself off for a couple of days."

_Fuck . . ._

"It's fine, Yang . . . how about we go to sleep? So you can clear your head a bit . . ."

_And let me grow enough courage to tell you what happened before it's too late._

"You kidding?" Yang offers me her warmest smile and pulls me on top of her. "I always keep a tally Blake . . . I'm not gonna let you sleep until I get you to purr tonight. Nobody's done me in and not got some love in return."

At that moment I can see and feel Yang flare her aura, marking her final decision. Knowing that she won't be giving me a break tonight, I take a deep breath and without hesitation semblance myself away from her to disappear up the spiral staircase.

"BLAKE! Come on I'll only touch one ear this time!"

_You may not want to touch my ears ever again come tomorrow . . ._


	32. Nostalgia

_It's been a while . . . Finals have been a pain in the ass, but I'm done for now and here is Chapter 32! Plus I also updated Alignment of Falling Stars, so it's not like it took me a whole month for only 1 chapter . . . technically.  
_

_Anyway, someone messaged me (or reviewed, too lazy to verify) and it kinda got me mad because they were like 'oh, it'd be cool if this happened' and what they said is exactly what I had planned for the chapter . . . I hate it when people predict me . . . I tried to message him back and give him several fuck you's for guessing right, but they have messaging turned off_

_So, you know who you are . . . _

_Fuck you._

_Now that we got that out of the way, here's chapter 32. Nothing gets better than some teenager drama . . . especially when there's so much mixed feelings floating around about it . . . enjoy_

_**Chapter 32 - Nostalgia  
**_

"She's fine. I arrived before any meaningful damage could be administered. Weiss and Ruby are in more reliable states in comparison." I state after all the commotion has been lowered. I arrived on scene just after a deadly swipe from an ursa connected to the helpless faunus. I'm curious why she didn't use her aura to protect herself. My sister is efficient at dueling, but I can't agree that she's at a level where she can completely drain someone taught by Qrow. I don't exactly agree with him, but his reputation and his teaching methods are two things to be respected.

"Thank you, Winter. Qrow's not exactly verbal with his thanks, but I'm sure he appreciates this beyond measure. You saved her . . . you have all of our thanks." Taiyang looks at me with sincerity. We are currently outside one of the accommodated rooms to lay Hitomi down. We are on the first floor, meaning the floor beneath us is completely reflective marble with little to no specs of dust on it.

Inside the room are three people. The obvious two are the unconscious Faunus and her mentor. The third happens to be Sebastian who seems to excel at everything. Upon securing the area Weiss took it upon herself to use her remaining aura to create a denser glyph than what I believed her to be capable of. The increased density made it possible for Sebastian to walk through the reflection and take Shun back to the mansion to treat her.

Upon my return it was explained to me that Taiyang had attempted to use his own healing methods on the faunus, but for some reason her body completely rejected his aura. I find it peculiar that someone of her physical prowess has such a low amount of aura, yet seems to have the power to reject the aura of someone else while unconscious. I can't say it's something that has been reported before, but cases like these have been noted. It may be interesting to dissect her and see what it is that makes her tick . . . I mean that figuratively of course.

"It's not a problem, Mr. Xiao Long. If you'll excuse me." I nod my head towards him while I excuse myself. After everything that's happened I suppose it will be proper to report the situation to Father, although there is little doubt in my mind that he is aware of everything at this point. I take the usual trip up the elevator to the fourth floor and push the large double doors of Father's Study.

"I assume she'll live." Father calls out to me the moment I enter. He's currently sitting in his usual recliner with a book in hand. It's not until I close the door behind me that he claps the book shut and directs his eyes in my direction.

"It seems so, although her body is rejecting the usual aura treatments . . . Sebastian is treating her with more . . . primal methods." I explained while I'm debriefed.

"I'm not concerned with how she's treated. So long as a faunus isn't dying on my property. How is your sister?" Father redirections the conversation away from the Faunus immediately.

"She's not exactly on her feet, but she's being taken care of." I answer.

"I see. That is all." Father waves his hand at me dismissively and I quietly take my leave without another word.

_I'm surprised he didn't ask by who since Sebastian is busy. I guess he already knew the answer._

I take it upon myself to see just how well my sister is doing. The worst case scenario is she's already asleep from exhaustion and some of her bruises are healing, but with her very active nurse I doubt she'll be asleep anytime soon.

This time I take the stairwell to climb up one more flight and continue towards Weiss' room. As expected, her door is wide open and there is a bit of a commotion going on. Instead of interrupting I decide to lean against the wall and listen in on the current debate.

"Ruby, I refuse to have you feed me soup! That's degrading!"

"Aw! Come on, Weiss! I want you to get better. As your leader I reserve the right to nurture you back to full health!" A squeaky Huntress In Training shouts back with a whine.

"No."

"But Weeeiiiissss!"

"I said 'no'."

"Please?"

"Ruby."

". . . I love you."

There's a long moment of silence before a loud huff is heard. I wait a couple more seconds before going to the edge of the doorway to peek in and see what's going on. The sight I'm exposed to is both humorous and mildly awkward to me since my sister is among the sight.

Ruby is kneeling on the bed with a bowl of soup in hand. Weiss is against the bedrest with several pillows adjusted to keep her seated upright in as comfortable a position as possible. What makes the sight a little awkward is the fact that Ruby is kneeling over Weiss' legs and is currently feeding my sister the bowl with a spoon in hand.

"It seems like you two are both well-recovered." I walk through the door with my arms folded. The startle from my voice makes Ruby flinch and almost causes the girl to drop the hot soup onto my sister's lap.

"I-I-I . . . Weiss wanted soup and . . . I was here so . . ." The girl stutters and searches for something to say to excuse the position I caught the two of them in. While she continues to stutter and trip over her own words I walk to the bedside and take a seat next to Weiss.

"How are your injuries?" I ask. My voice practically freezes Ruby's stammers to give Weiss' time to answer.

"They're non-existent. I had little aura to use . . . that was my only problem." She defends with the dismissive and prideful nature that's apparent in all Schnee's.

"I see. We'll discuss later how it's possible for you to lose to a faunus that has no aura or the experience of a proper combat school. That's not acceptable."

"She has an aura, Winter . . . She's weird . . . She has a semblance, and you can feel some of her aura when she attacks, but . . . she claims she can't use it to defend herself. I think she's too lazy to bother learning how." Weiss scolds.

"It doesn't take much to defend yourself . . . it's almost second nature once your aura's unlocked. Also, I hear one of your teammates also happens to be a Faunus." My statement makes Weiss' eyes shift to Ruby who gives off an air that I found out through her.

"It wasn't my fault! We were talking and she said 'tell me about your friends, especially the faunus girl . . . When someone says Faunus and friend in the same sentence I think of Blake immediately!" Ruby defends with rushed words that agitate my need to teach her how to speak slow and clearly.

"Regardless." I butt in. "Since it seems like I finally know all the secrets there are, it's time to interrogate the two of you about the other half of your team. First off, what's the relationship between Belladonna and Xiao Long?" When my question is asked, I see both of them exchange glances before Ruby is the one to speak up.

"They're just friends." Ruby answers, but I don't buy into the lie in the slightest.

"Really? So if need be I can tap into their scrolls and see what is happening in their vicinity? Might I add, their scrolls are within twenty meters of each other, and they just so happen to be in one of the most secluded spots on the property . . . within one of the towers.

I reach behind my back to grasp my scroll which is linked to everything in the vicinity for security measures. The moment Weiss sees it she raises her hand up to stop me from continuing.

"Winter, please." She looks at me with pleading eyes, knowing very well I will tap into the scrolls of her two teammates and let whatever is going on be heard between the three of us. "Yes, they're dating . . . Ruby and I have been together longer, though."

_A team made up from two relationships . . . Weiss won't be getting any stronger if she's constantly smothered by her leader . . . and the same could be if she's in the company of her girlfriend's sister. Speaking of which . . ._

"Ruby Rose, why did you choose to become a Huntress?" I ask to the girl cowering against my sister. The change of topic catches the two by surprise, but nonetheless I am given a timely answer.

"Well, I want to help people. I want to become stronger and make the world a better place. Isn't that why everyone does it?"

_I forgot she's a naïve child. What does Weiss see in someone like her?_

"I see. Anyway, I expect you two to keep things . . . in moderation for the most part. Keep your door closed if you feel the need to . . . display affection." I say while waving my hand in small circles while I was searching for the proper words. "If you need me, I'll be downstairs checking on the Faunus girl."

"Winter?" Weiss calls out my name in a very questioning way. When I turn my head to look at her she has a wrinkled brow, displaying immense confusion in my direction. "Since when would you concern yourself with someone in medical care? You despise anything that keeps you waiting."

_I see she's sharpened up at least._

"She's a guest. It's only proper." I say and leave the room, making sure to grab the door behind me and pull it shut.

Weiss isn't wrong with her assumption. There's more to what happened in the forest than what was lead on. Out of my own pride I decided to leave the small detail out, especially since it was more of a stupid move on the Faunus' part.

After my arrival to Weiss' location I used my summon to occupy one of the ursai while I focused on the others. Taking care of one took minimal effort, but in the process I momentarily lost sight of the second. The ursa I lost sight of managed to get behind me and went on to throw out its claws in an attack that would barely scathe my aura. In the process however, the over-eager Faunus took it upon herself to kick me out of the way, leaving her to absorb a blow that has a higher fatality chance on her than it would on me.

_I can't accept the fact that some lowly faunus would take it upon herself to 'help' me. I'm nothing shy of extraordinary in all regards, so why would she think so little of me? Pity? Worry? What is it that drives someone of her demeanor to do something so . . . idiotic?_

This is not my fault. At least, that's what I keep telling myself. In darkness it's nearly impossible to spot a creature of Grimm. Keeping track of multiple is an even more challenging task. With that in mind, I knew very well I'd lose track of at least one and was ready to be struck at least once by the one I lose sight of. Instead I get struck by a kick to the side of my ribs that sends me flying several feet.

Getting kicked out of the way by a Faunus is bad enough . . . especially by one that's incapable of fighting Grimm. To add to it I swear she taunted me with the words **_I'm not blind_****.**

It's no secret that Faunus have a keen visual advantage in the dark, but for her to use that as a way to taunt me gave me with the objective of dissecting her. I will not be taunted in my own home, let alone by a Faunus who can't handle a single ursa on her own. I suppose I'll give her the night to recuperate, then give her my mind in the morning.

* * *

**(The Next Morning – 0600 Hours)**

The moment my eyes open I already have my morning planned. I get dressed in uniform in exactly one minute, thirty three seconds, have my weapon on my hip and already have myself making my way towards the Faunus' room to see how she's doing. Instead of being in her usual room on the fourth floor, she was brought to a room closest to the back entrance of the mansion since it was the closest and most accessible by Sebastian who stays roughly three rooms away.

As I make myself down the usual spiral staircase, dragging my fingers along the banister to offer just the slightest amount of extra balance while I traverse the counter-clockwise descent. Upon exiting the stairwell I am greeted by the usual echoing impact of my heels to the marble floor, a sound that usually goes unnoticed by me, but for some reason makes itself distinct in my ears while the Faunus girl is in my thoughts. I suppose my meeting her is still in the back of my mind. Her complaints of my heels and the complete showing of disrespect are two things I will never quite forget.

"Aw! Come on, Sunflower! When was the last time you danced for me? I got that Lamar Hall album on my scroll!"

Down the hall I can hear the shouts of an over-excited girl. Just by the confidence and slight husk the voice has, I can easily identify it as yesterday's casualty. However, it seems she already has company, and that company doesn't seem too fond of her current comments. It appears Sebastian was able to take care of her wounds despite the troubles Taiyang had. She's back in her usual shorts but instead of a t-shirt or any form of top, her upper body from her right shoulder all the way to just above her belly button is wrapped in a mass of bandages.

"Hito! I said stop it! You know I'm with someone, ugh!"

The other voice is Yang Xiao Long, and by the tone in her voice it seems like she's far more than irritated at the cheetah-faunus' behavior. She's in the same attire she left the Manor in: her standard shorts and back-skirt along with her brown jacket and yellow top that displays her emblem.

On instinct I start to move towards the commotion to separate the two, but I barely make it halfway down the hallway before a hand touches my shoulder. To my surprise it's Qrow, but with a lack of his flask or irritating smirk.

"She's been up for an hour already. She thinks its two years ago . . . and that she's out on a training weekend with Yang . . . Shor t-term memory loss. Not something I'd expect her to get without a head injury. I guess staring into the eyes of an ursa scarred her a bit."

While he rambles on about the current situation, I take the chance to brush his hand off of my shoulder as well as inspect my outfit for any grime that could've been left by his hand. I suppose even Qrow has a limit as to how early he can start being a menace. Hopefully he can keep that attitude away for another hour, at the least.

"Well, it doesn't seem like your niece is aware of the current situation . . . It appears she's ready to attack." I observe with folded arms as the cheetah-faunus continues her flirting attempts with the agitated brawler.

"Well, I messaged Blake this morning so she can tell Yang, but it looks like she decided to keep it to herself. Actually . . . haven't seen hide or hair of her since Yang got back. Give me a sec." Qrow starts to walk towards the arguing duo. Out of impatience I decide to follow behind him to listen in on the conversation about to be had so I can get my information first-hand.

"Hito! I said let me go!" There's a bright flash with a burst of hot air coming from down the hallway. The source of both appear to be the enflamed blonde that takes no time in throwing a flurry of punches at the carefree Faunus who starts to evade with small head sways and not much else.

"Woah! Relax, Firecracker. Don't burn down another hotel." Qrow shouts. The fact that he just referred to the Manor as a hotel makes me raise a brow, but I assume there's a reason behind it.

"Ugh! Tell her to get off of me before I melt her eyebrows off!" Yang shouts with that same energy and heated aura prancing around her.

"Where's Blake?" Qrow continues, disregarding Yang's complaint.

"She's uh . . ." The blonde pauses for a moment. I take note of her visual aversion from the two of us while she searches for a decent cover up. "She decided to sleep in . . . She was really tired last night."

The fact that those two shared the same sleeping quarters leaves me to assume the obvious: The blonde brawler has multiple threats about her . . . meaning she can be just as lethal in a fight as she is in a romantic scenario. Not something I'm too keen on thinking about, but at least I have the possible truth pieced together already.

"You did her in, didn't you? You're lucky Tai isn't here." Qrow sighs after voicing the same prediction as me. The blonde confirms our suspicions with a deep red blush that is followed by a nod of defeat.

"So, Shun . . . how about you calm down Firecracker and then you two can start your regiment when she wakes up?" Qrow suggests.

Without a response I watch on as the faunus girl turns Yang's head and gives that toothy grin I recall from when we first met. The surprise turn brings the two of them into a brief gaze before the heated aura around Yang starts to fade, and clenched fists loosen. I watch in confusion as the loud fighter is suddenly begins to reel backwards and is caught in a bridal carry by Qrow's pupil.

My eyes soon switch to Qrow who is already looking at me with that smug look on his face. He knows exactly how surprised I am by the sudden display of what I assume to be her semblance. The scythe-wielding Hunter disregards his unconscious niece who is being carried into the Faunus' current quarters that is roughly three doors down.

"I'm guessing you haven't seen her semblance, yet. It's actually something you can't visually acknowledge . . . If you don't know what it is, then you have no idea how to counter it. If she catches anyone off guard . . . she wins." Qrow chuckles and starts to walk in the opposite direction from the two.

"You're not going to follow them? I'm certain inappropriate activities are going to transpire." I argue.

"She's a girl that likes girls . . . not a rapist." After his sentence he looks over his shoulder. A familiar glint in his iris shows and he faces forward to continue walking, leaving me to decide whether to go after the two, follow Qrow, or seek my own destination.

_I rather not deal with Father this early . . . Weiss and Ruby Rose should still be asleep at this hour . . . Perhaps . . ._

I nod my head and immediately make my way towards the back exit of the Mansion. On the way I pass by Shun Hitomi's room, making it a point to peek inside as I pass by. I'm surprised to see the difference in attitude the Faunus has now that Yang is unconscious. Instead of the loud and flirtatious nature I saw on display, she's quietly doing pushups while Xiao Long is fast asleep on the bed.

I continue my way through the hall, making sure to not draw any attention to the doorway by lingering too long. Upon making it to the back exit where the small garden is (the same garden that Weiss assisted me in locking Pyrrha Nikos and her apparent crush together in). From here I reach into my pocket for my scroll and proceed to pull up a three dimensional model of the property. I take a quick look at my location, then at my destination before I begin to proceed in that direction, well prepared for the hour or so walk.

Upon arrival I look up at the towering structure. I look at my scroll once more and confirm that there is a scroll inside, marking it as the location of Blake Belladonna. I walk towards the entrance, knowing that there is no lock on the door since the tower itself has locks on every room inside. Upon entry I'm surprised to see the recliner near the fireplace is flipped onto its back and clothing that appears to consist of monochrome colors are scattered around the area.

_What did those two do here!? Actually, I rather not know . . ._

I walk to the recliner, taking the time to set it up right before I continue to search out the damages. There doesn't appear to be much of a mess, but I've yet to see how the upper rooms fare.

I seek out the spiral staircase and begin my ascension of the tower. My first priority is finding Belladonna, and with a quick view at my scroll it becomes apparent that she's in the highest room possible.

The closer I get to the top floor, the more I can make out the mild snoring of the cat-faunus. If I didn't find out from Ruby of Blake's heritage, I possibly would have froze upon discovering the set of cat ears she hides under her bow. Although the sight I am put through now has a more drastic effect on me.

Once I reach the doorway I look inside to see the unconscious faunus fast asleep on a sleeping bag in the center of the room. On reflex I avert my eyes from the complete, shameless display of the naked form. I should have expected such a sight, but I suppose I assumed there was some kind of decency among these people. I've been proven wrong. With the knowledge of Belladonna's lack of clothing I enter the room and take a second look at her, only to be shocked again by something entirely different.

I kneel down at her side and look over the pale flesh. More specifically I look over the several scratch marks on her back and faint traces of dry blood. The amount is miniscule, but the sheer amount of marks are overwhelming to say the least. On top of that I take notice of two bite marks on both sides of her neck that are complimented by sizable bruises where the neck joins the shoulder blade.

In my mind I find all of these marks to be signs of some sort of rape, but in my mind I acknowledge the fact that Yang Xiao Long appears to be the rough type . . . but to go to this extent is shiver-inducing. A question creeps into my mind of what Belladonna could have been doing to provoke these marks, and if Xiao Long has the same marks on her person as well.

_How do I wake her up? I rather not have to make physical contact._

The awkwardness of the current predicament is a little off-putting, but I decide the best way to wake her up is by using the flat end of my saber to tap her shoulder until I start getting the negative responses I'd expect from a child wanting to sleep in.

"Yaaaaang . . . Let me sleep! I'm still sore . . ." The faunus whines while she tries to ignore my taps.

"Ugh! Please? I shouldn't have let you put that many fingers in." She complains. Her comment makes me cringe, but I continue to tap her shoulder, hoping she'll turn her head and realize that I am not the person she things I am.

"Yaaaang Xiao Long! You petted the kitty too much last night . . . now . . . let . . . me . . . sleep!" Blake growls and turns to give a possible death glare towards her lover, but instead comes face to face with my icy stare.

". . . She 'petted the kitty'?" I ask with my straightest face, hoping to destroy the current awkwardness in the air by forcing a conversation change.

". . . This never happened" Belladonna mutters to me.

". . . Agreed. Did you get a chance to read Qrow's message?" I ask, although with the current situation I feel like the answer should be obvious.

"No . . . what message?"

". . . Read it . . . I'll be waiting outside."


	33. The Old Flame Meets The New

_So, I actually got this chapter ready pretty fast, right? I think I may be getting back to my old speeds. Anyway, there's one Easter egg in this chapter and it has to do with who I initially got my inspiration for my OC from. I probably said it one time, but let's see who can remember, or understand the reference.  
_

_Also, thanks to a couple of chats I almost have a fully-colored commission of Hitomi :D . . .my problem now is setting up a url to show you all once it's done._

_Also . . . I'm guessing a lot of you are waiting to find out what happened between Blake and Yang that night, huh?_

_. . . I'll think about it_

_As always, leave a review, let me know what was a hit or miss :D_

* * *

_**Chapter 33 - The Old Flame Meets The New. **_

I blink rapidly a couple of times while I try to draw myself away from my dream world. The last thing I recall are a set of predatory eyes piercing me and sending me to sleep. The way she did it just then felt so different than how she did it on the airship right from Patch.

This time it sent shivers up my spine at how familiar it was, and while I could have looked away before her semblance was able to activate, I felt like I couldn't. Her gaze was different . . . It was how it used to be . . . and it reminded me of how **we** used to be.

I roll over onto my back and place my palms over my eyes to fight the minor headache that comes with waking up from one of Hito's 'persuasive naps'. I take a moment to freeze in place and listen to what's going on around me.

The setting seems so familiar. Hito doing a workout while I sleep in a little was always common. Even more so with the song that's playing . . . World's Collide.

**_Hearing voices from afar,  
join the madness when the curtain falls._**

_**Risk it all, hold nothing back,**_  
_**Seize the day, we must attack.**_

_**Stars arising, countless worlds colliding,**_  
_**only one will take it all.**_

_**Can we bring to fall the giants?**_  
_**Can we make the final call?**_

_**We are the ones,**_  
_**To ignite the darkened skies.**_

"How's your head?" The familiar voice of the cheetah faunus calls out to me.

I lift my right hand from my eye so I can look towards the voice and see her kneeling at the side of the bed. The emotionless glare she's been known for giving recently is gone. Instead it's exchanged with the forgotten look of concern I use to know her for. A side she never showed to anybody else.

"Hito, what are you trying? You know I'm-," I'm cut off mid-sentence by two of her fingers touching my lips.

"Hey, you know I hate answering questions with more questions. I'm not a wiki."

_Why is she acting like this? She hasn't been like this since . . . we were together._

"Is this some kind of sick joke to you, Hito?" I sit myself up on the bed and stare at her with unforgiving eyes. "Is that what this is to you!?"

"Hey, hey, hey. Chill out, what's eating at you?" She asks. I hate the fact that she's continuing to play dumb.

"You know that I'm with Blake! What kind of joke are you trying to pull by acting this way? I'm not leaving her!" I fight every urge to throw a punch at her right now and instead take the alternative choice and walk out of the room. However, my stubborn ex decides to follow me while continuing to play dumb.

"Sunflower, you alright? You're making less sense than you're uncle after he takes a Cement Mixer shot."

I completely ignore her and make my way towards the front of the Mansion, but before I can get far she places a hand on my shoulder in an attempt to stop me.

The already building anger makes me respond by smacking her hand off of my shoulder with my left hand. With her hand off of me I turn around with the full intention of throwing my right cross directly at her face. However, when I look for my target I make the mistake of meeting her gaze while I try to follow through with the punch.

With my anger lessened, she makes short work in deflecting the half-hearted attack and pulls me into a tight hug that I feel helpless against. I know I want to punch her. I know the game she's playing but her semblance makes it impossible to do that. Yet, at the same time I feel like she's different right now if that even makes sense.

She's acting completely different right now. No smart remarks, no sarcasm to poke fun at me. She's back to how she used to treat me and it's come out of the blue. Did whatever happen last night change her mind set on certain things?

"You're not making a lick of sense . . . Come on, deep breath and hold." She commands.

"I'm not doing this, Hito. I need to find Uncle Qrow." I respond. I remember how she used to calm me when her semblance couldn't do the full job. It always started with her telling me to breath, then close my eyes . . . and the next portion is pretty obvious.

"He came by while you were napping. Matter o'fact he mentioned that Blake girl you keep rambling on about. Said she knows what's going on." She says so nonchalantly.

Knowing Uncle Qrow, he probably made things sound worse than they are. Last thing I need is Blake coming after me because Uncle Qrow told her I was asleep in Hito's room and just conveniently left out the part about her putting me to sleep with her semblance.

"Nonono. Blake knows what!? What does she know!?" I place my fingertips on my cheeks and try to calm myself down. If Blake doesn't kill me, then an anxiety attack definitely will. To add to my panic, my scroll decides to go off now of all times. With haste I take it out of my pocket and cringe at seeing Blake's image above the message

**_Kittycat: _**_Roof. Now._

_. . . I'm dead._

"Kittycat? Who's that?" I look over my shoulder to see Hito peeking at my scroll with excessive curiosity.

"That's Blake, obviously! You're gonna get me killed! What's gotten into you!? This isn't funny anymore! It never was funny!" I scream while pocketing my scroll. Things just aren't going my way right now. I go from worrying about my ex to seeing her perfectly healthy and attempting to rekindle old flames.

"Yang, what's gotten into you all of a sudden? Look, if this Blake guy's messing with you I'll take care of it. Just point." She places her hands on my shoulders to force me to look at her, but her semblance remains unused. "You know I have your back. Now what's this guy want?"

_For the love of . . ._

"Hito, you know for a fact that Blake and I are-"

"Firecracker, Shun. What are you two still doing here?" As usual, Uncle Qrow comes out of nowhere at the worst times while playing dumb on the whole thing. I'm going to get him for all of this. Especially for having Blake pissed at me.

"Because of **YOU **I have Blake breathing down my neck! You're the worst!" I scream at him, but he remains unaffected.

"Right . . . isn't she looking for you? Come on, Shun . . . let me tell you what happened when Yang accidentally walked into the men's locker room at Brandon's." With as quick as he appears, he places an arm around Hito and practically drags her away. The entire time she's being tugged along she keeps looking over her shoulder at me, hoping Uncle Qrow will leave her be, but that's not happening.

"First thing he does right all morning." I sigh and look around for the nearest stairwell. The two word message from Blake still has me worried. When I find a staircase to climb I feel like each step I take is a countdown to my demise. I've only seen Blake furious at me once, but thankfully she was mad at me over something entirely different. That was the night she admitted she wanted to go to the dance with me. That week made the happiest moments of my life so far.

As I round the final floor and come to a dead-end at the top with a big, red door that marks the exit to the roof I take a deep breath and hope that Blake isn't as mad as I think she is. Maybe she was just in a rush to type that message so she only used two quick words to make it simple. That's not uncommon, right?

When I finally push the door open and get a view at the extremely spacious roof I look towards the center where the H-shaped roof's horizontal connector houses a large helipad. Sitting at the edge of the platform is Blake, and standing behind her is Weiss' sister.

_Winter? Why is she here?_

As I walk along the rooftop I'm not even given the chance to climb onto the helipad. Upon spotting me, Blake takes the initiative to hop down and meet me with haste and clear anger on her face.

"H-hey Kittycat . . . Y-you look good." I stutter.

"Shut it, Yang. You have any idea how embarrassing this is for me?" She growls. All the while Winter is taking her time with descending from the helipad by using her glyphs as a makeshift staircase.

"Nothing happened, Blakey! All the clothes stayed on and I got out of there as quick as possible." I defend, keeping my hands up while I talk.

"And I'm supposed to be happy about that!? You leave me alone after a long night then after all of this happens you expect me to be calm? To not be embarrassed? You think I'm _THAT _forgiving?" Blake folds her arms. To add to her anger is the rapid tapping of her foot against the tarred floor. I've never seen her so angry to the point that she's actually jittery.

"B-B-Blakey, no need to be so mad. I swear, nothing happened between us. It was a nap-and-run." I expect my words to hopefully calm her down but she only gets more riled. Before things can get any worse, Winter steps between us with her arms folded and lets out a very loud sigh.

"As much as I am enjoying the misunderstanding . . . Belladonna is talking about the fact that you left her in the tower for me to find her completely . . . exposed. Xiao Long is talking about the fact that she was asleep in the room of her former . . . lover."

_Oh . . . that's why she's pissed._

"Well . . . I'm sure it was a sexy sight?" I question in response after seeing Winter's disapproving stare.

". . . She looked like a victim of sexual assault." Winter counters, but before I can respond Blake steps in with her own remark.

"Yang's back isn't exactly spotless, either . . ." Blake answers. For a moment I think back to last night and quiver at how deep her nails got while I was too occupied with grooming her kitty to care much, but that's a story for another day . . . possibly.

"I could have gone my entire life without needing to hear that information. Does the Faunus girl still have amnesia?" Winter asks.

"Amnesia? Wait, so her treating me like . . . and her worrying was . . . How did she get amnesia!?" I look at Winter completely dumbfounded. To think I nearly punched her lights out over something that wasn't her fault at all makes me glad she has a semblance like hers.

"During her battle with Weiss last night . . . she came face-to-face with an ursa. We believe the shock of staring into the eyes of something she fears as much as a Grimm caused her heavy mental trauma . . . Either that, or she hit her head really hard . . . which we didn't find any indications of."

"Speaking of that," Blake jumps in. The angry cat faunus looks at me with squinted eyes before she continues with her statement, "I'm curious to see how lovey-dovey she used to be with you."

_I hope to Remnant she's kidding . . ._

"Kittycat, this isn't a joke . . .Hito . . . you have**_ZERO_** idea how we used to be . . . She's . . ." I take a slow, deep breath, biting my tongue on keeping one of my ex's biggest secrets hidden. "Look, she doesn't stay around people for long . . . She's not very good in groups."

"That's not exactly a secret, Yang." Blake raises an eyebrow, knowing very well that I'm hiding something "I'm not saying you need to sleep with her. I'm saying keep the illusion up until she remembers on her own. If she lost her memory the way Qrow and Winter think, then breaking her 'reality' could mess with her head and bring back all that stress. Her body turned her mind off for a reason . . . I wouldn't want anyone to relive their deepest fears . . . Your uncle told me."

_Just tell Blake __**everything**__ about Hito while you're at it._

"Blake . . . this isn't safe ice you're putting me on. It was different when she knew her boundaries." I protest, but Blake decides to ignore my warnings and pleas for her help in avoiding the matter at hand.

"Why are you so panicked? She's only your ex that lost her memory of the past two years. Last time I checked you two were pretty close two years ago." Blake counters my pleas once again.

The thing with Hito is . . . she knows everything about me. **_Everything_**. The last thing I need is for Blake to see me in a more vulnerable state. There's literally nothing I can do against Hito. She has me memorized like song lyrics.

"Yang, close your eyes and take a deep breath. I hate it when you're panicked." Blake's words come with immediate obedience on my part.

On command I close my eyes and take a long, slow inhale through my nose. My inhale is long enough that I can feel my nose start to flare up slightly from getting dried out. When my lungs can't handle anymore I part my lips into a small circle and start to exhale.

During my exhale I'm interrupted by a rough grip on my shirt. I open my eyes to see what's going on but at the same time I'm practically yanked forward and dragged into a lip lock with Blake. For the moment all of my worries are taken off of my shoulder with Blake's loving reassurance.

On reflex I reach for her hips, then slide my arms towards her back to tighten our embrace. Her fingers dance on my shoulders, working their way towards my neck as if they were the fingers of a professional piano player. While her fingers dance back and forth along my neck, she uses her elbows to nudge at my biceps and forearms. It takes me a couple of seconds to understand what her gesture is suggesting. With each smack of her elbows to my forearms I realize she's trying to guide my grip lower, forcing me to disregard Winter's presence and give my Blakey the hold we love the most.

My hands trail down her back, playing with the soft material of her shirt while my touch gets closer and closer to the prize we all know and love: The Bellabooty.

But, I can't let Blake have _all_ the control. Give a cat an inch and they'll take the entire yarn ball.

To add my own little fun to the situation I curl my fingers and rake them down her shirt. When I get passed her waist my raking digits find themselves drifting underneath her pants instead of going over the top. I find myself helped to an even better bonus when the elastic of her underwear seem to get caught up against her pants, bringing me to have two handfuls of my **Bootyful** Blakey.

In retaliation I can hear Winter's groans of disapproval along with Blake trying to pull back after me taking things a little too far but like always, I never let go when I have what I want. With Blake trying to pull back and my stubbornness making itself known it becomes a battle of attrition until I make my final strike.

I curl my fingers just a little more to get an even better grip on her. The way her flesh presses against my fingers always makes me smile. It's always a perfect grip. I can't help but smirk at the sound she makes when I squeeze. It's a simple, sharp inhale that is followed by the adorable blush of hers I've grown to love to no end. The time it takes her to part her lips to inhale is just enough time for me to attack. Without any hesitation I send my wet muscle between her lips to seek out hers in an embrace that always feels too natural. But as usual, savoring that embrace can never last.

"Hm . . . I'm guessing that's Blake then, Sunflower?"

Hito's voice completely startles me. Within a second I'm broken away from Blake and slowly looking over my shoulder to look at the smiling cheetah faunus resting above the doorway to the roof.

"Don't stop on my part. She's pretty cute." Hito smirks at me. She changes her position to lay on her stomach with her elbows planted on the ground so she can rest her head in her hands in the typical 'daydreaming schoolgirl' posture. "You know I don't mind you kissing another gal, Sunflower . . . You just gotta pay my fee."

_Fuck . . . no no no no no._

"I . . . I'm not really feeling too well, Hito . . . I'm a bit hungry and restless, and I don't think that'd help the matter if any. Plus I'm-"

"What's the fee?" Blake cuts me off. I look back at her only to see her smirking at me. She's truly prepared to throw me under a bus with a monster.

"I'm sure Yang would be more than happy to tell you. It _does_ involve you after all, doesn't it Sunflower?" The longer this conversation goes on, the more I feel like I'm being pushed into a corner. I start to look around for Winter, hoping maybe she can bail me out of this but it looks like she took off while Blake and I were kissing.

"I . . . I really would like to _not_." _This is going to be embarrassing . . . I haven't used this in forever. _"Please, Thundercat?"

The use of the old, forgotten nickname brings a blush to my face as well as Hito's. The only one that's not blushing as is also the only one laughing their ass off is Blake who seems to be enjoying how uncomfortable I'm getting all the more. The only thing that brings my attention away from the laughing Faunus is a sigh coming from Hito's direction.

"I'm going to kill you . . . fine." The embarrassed faunus drops down from the top of the doorway and walks towards the two of us. Before I can realize what's going on, Hito's standing behind Blake and whispering in her ear, all the while keeping her eyes on me. After she's done whispering, Blake goes wide-eyed and Hito raises her voice back to a normal volume. "So, that's my fee . . . and what happens to her if my fee isn't paid. Your call."

For once I see Blake standing completely still with immense discomfort. There are many ways that Hito's changed since I went to Signal with her. Her punishment games were one of the things that stopped me from flirting too much with others.

"B-Blake? You alright?" I call out, worried at how shocked she looks. "It's not a problem, Blake. You don't need to get yourself mixed in."

My words have no effect on her. Instead she looks over her shoulder at Hito who only smirks back while my girlfriend tries to comprehend what she just heard.

"Looks like she ain't coverin' for you, Sunflower." Hito snickers and gives Blake a pat on the shoulder. "That's a shame . . . she smells just like you . . . a little too much like you, actually."

_. . . That smell would be last night . . . Neither of us showered yet._

"Well, let's go take care of it." Hito starts to walk by Blake who quickly grasps the cheetah faunus' hand.

". . . I'll pay the fee."

Blake's words make Hito smirk cheek to cheek. All the while I feel myself shrink at what she just got herself into.

_This isn't going to end well . . . for Blake that is._

"Hito, go easy on her! She's fragile."

"Psh . . . she's a faunus, I'm sure she's way more durable than you think."

_**I** know she's durable . . . I just don't want **you** to know that._


	34. NOT A CHAPTER: READ PLEASE

So, someone brought this to my attention that I should throw a notice here that I'm discontinuing A Beacon of Hope 2./em/p  
Now that I got your attention, please tune in to my new story

_**The Breaching Rays of Dimmer Days**_

for a reason. Please hold your questions and reviews until after you read the starting AN for that story, then I'll gladly respond to your questions through either PM or in another AN.

I would highly prefer if you have an account when you ask a question so I can answer you privately and not turn each AN into a QA session.

Obviously I'd only be able to answer a small amount in each AN. Anyway, get to that next story and start reading :) Don't hate me too much


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